Another Wednesday, another Happy Hour.
This time we checked out a restaurant we have been to many times – it’s one of our favorites, P.F. Chang’s. Located in the Fashion Mall at 8601 Keystone Crossing, we have enjoyed dinner at this place on special occasions, with casual groups, and with family and friends – but we never knew that they had a Happy Hour. It runs Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.
They do keep it a secret. I couldn’t find a HH menu anywhere on their website. When we walked in at 4 p.m., I told the hostess we were there for the Happy Hour and she said, “Would you like to sit at the bar or at a table?” We chose a table, were seated in a booth and given the normal raft of menus (dinner, drinks, specials), but none were for HH. Our server Hadiya had to go back to the hostess stand and get us the proper menus. She was very informative, and was a nice presence throughout our meal.
We both ordered wine – our choices were Chardonnay or Merlot ($6.99 for a six-ounce pour). Mrs. K. took her usual Chardonnay, and I tried the Merlot. Her drink was okay – good “on the rocks,” which is how she likes her wine, and the Merlot was pleasant – mellow and tasty.
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Other drink choices were available – Beers for $5.99 and Special Cocktails – Cosmopolitans or Margaritas for $8.99.
The menu had four choices of Appetizers: Chang’s Lettuce Wraps ($7.29), Ribs (BBQ or Northern Style – $7.89), Crab Wontons ($6.89), and Dumplings (Pork or Shrimp – $6.89). Hadiya told us that these are half-orders, so for everything but the Lettuce Wraps, we’d get servings of three.
We had often ordered the Lettuce Wraps on our frequent visits, so we opted to try all the others. We got BBQ Ribs, and Shrimp Dumplings. They were on our table very quickly, probably because the kitchen was not very busy.
Did I mention that the restaurant was nearly empty when we got there? Only two other booths were occupied, and the entire dining room was unusually quiet. We figured it was because we were there kind of early, and indeed a few more Wednesday night diners came in before we finished.
The food was great, especially with the sauces each was plated with. The Dumplings were presented on a very hot plate and Hadiya poured a “light chili sauce” over them which made for a sizzling steamy serving. The ribs were tender, meaty, and quite yummy. And the Crab Wantons were drizzled with a wonderfully tasty coating. We shared and enjoyed everything and decided to get another order of ribs, since they were our favorite.
All in all, it was a nice surprise. Everything on the limited HH menu was top-notch. Now, we know some new appetizers to order next time we come in for dinner. The service was great – thanks Hadiya. The tab came to right around $50, plus tip. We’ll be back.
Ken Klingenmeier offers this series of columns, called “A Seat at the Table,” wherein he reviews Indy-area restaurants – specifically their Happy Hour offers. Keep reading The Reporter for future restaurant reviews.