Food Review: Savour the Bold Flavours of Indo-American Cuisine, At P.F. Chang's Khar, Mumbai

Thirty years ago, Paul Fleming and Philip Chiang joined hands to create the brand P.F.Chang’s in the US. What started as an Asian experience for the Americans is today an international chain.

Crab Wonton

Philip had tweaked his menu those many years ago to suit the American taste. When P.F.Chang’s came to Mumbai a few months ago and to Khar couple of weeks ago, they retweaked their menu to suit the Mumbai taste with a few additions and subtractions. Addition, of course, had to be the Paneer.

Singapore Street Noodles

Dynamite Paneer is one Indo-American Asian dish that I started the meal with. Paneer marinated in siracha, tempura fried and then tossed in siracha aioli. A good starter with drinks, either a crafted beer or one of their exquisite cocktails. I chose the Sparkling Paloma — tequila, togarashi infused agave, dash of lime finished with grapefruit tonic. Refreshing.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

The next on the starter was Chicken Lettuce Wraps. They refuse to reveal the secret spices used that they marinate and toss the chicken with. The finely, diced, boneless chicken is served on the bed of fried rice noodles with lettuce leaves. Stuff as much chicken as you want in the lettuce leaf and eat. This is a classic, signature P.F. Chang’s dish. Lettuce gives a nice, fresh crunch and the chicken the flavour. A flavourful companion to the Sparkling Paloma. Crab lovers should try the Hand Folded Crab Wontons. Fried wontons stuffed with subtly flavoured crab served on the bed of chilli-honey sauce.

Avocado Cream Cheese Roll

Keeping with the current trend, the restaurant has introduced another new dish, a sushi, in India — Avocado Cream Cheese Roll. A good option for the vegetarians. But I would suggest Spicy Tuna Roll for the fish lovers. It surely is Indianised enough and good with the beer. Their Northern Style Pork Spare Ribs are also ideal with beer. Five-spice marinated, slow-braised and smoked, the ribs are delectable, and drier than the usual pork ribs, and just rightly cooked.

Chicken and Chilli Oil Dumpling

I notice lot of ‘chilli’ in the menu. The manager informs that it is thanks to the Mumbai guests repeatedly saying that the food is ‘bland’ and ‘maja nahin aa raha’. Chicken and Chilli Oil Dumpling is, again, an exclusive for Indian palate dish. Normal chicken dumplings with chilli oil drizzle and served with a chilli sauce for the jhatka that the Indian palate asks for. Chilli Garlic Green Beans, a part of their original menu in US — simple and tasty. French beans tossed in chilli oil with chilli flakes and garlic were great with Kyoto Bloom — a gin-based cocktail with elderflower liqueur, yuzu, sake, lime and strawberry fizz. Slightly sweet, with the yuzu umami made a good companion to the chilli forward starters.

Coconut Cooler Red Crane Sangria

Like a classic Chinese eater, I had my soup mid-way. Wonton Soup. The broth should have had a few more veggies in it. The Mandarin Salad that followed, again, was an Indo-American-Chinese. A basic veggie salad with oranges and fried rice noodles thrown in. I saved most of the salad for next day as take away and realised that the salad tasted better with noodles gone soggy. Maybe they should think of having cold, steamed noodles in the salad instead of the fried ones.

Orange Chicken

Meal at P.F.Chang’s cannot be complete without their signature Orange Chicken. Boneless chicken that’s very lightly battered after citrus marination, tossed in citrusy, sweet sauce with orange slices. A perfect accompaniment with steam rice for ones who are not fond of pungent stuff. The spicy ones should go for Thai Chilli Basil Greens or Chang’s Chicken. They also have a choice of pairing the Orange Chicken with the deliciously spiced Spicy Kimchi Fried Rice. The rice is great on its own and good with the sweet, sour chicken.

Their desserts are unique as well. The Banana Spring Rolls come cut in eatable size portions, served with vanilla ice cream. Cinnamon flavoured banana mash inside the spring rolls is delicious. Their version of the American apple pie is worth the money as well. Chang's Apple Crunch is liberally dressed in caramel, cinnamon sugar and served hot with vanilla ice cream.

The Great Wall of Chocolate

P.F. Chang’s has indianised themselves enough to be a go-to spot for celebrations.

Average cost for two: ` 3500 with alcohol