‘P. F. Chang’s, the namesake of founders Paul Fleming and Philip Chiang, has found an instinctive niche in Oman’s food horizon, with diners walking in at all times of the day to experience its dynamite culinary presentations. For foodies and fans of the popular Asian bistro, which has made home in several parts of the world and the region, the new outlet in Muscat is a boon no less. Some of its signature dishes have earned it such wide recognition that diners are known to walk in and place their orders without checking the menu. We were party to it too, as we smiled our acquiescence when the friendly host mentioned ‘Dynamite Prawns’.
With a central location facing the main atrium of Oman Avenues Mall, P. F. Chang’s is easily the most visible new entrant; the imposing terracotta horse at the entryway drawing attention of every visitor to the Mall. Terracotta elements, evocative of the bistro’s Chinese roots, are resplendent all through the restaurant, with the murals on the wall enhancing the aesthetics imbibed in its design and décor. The muted lights add to the sensorial experience and enhance its trendy and upscale ambience.
The brand expresses a perfect balance between the Asian tradition and modern American style, with eye-catching décor that has become synonymous with P. F. Chang’s in all its worldwide branches. ‘Spring & Fall’ represents the theme of décor in the new branch and features the symbolic maple tree that holds a major part of Asian art and poetry. The mural is said to represent the serenity and balance of the world’s elements, in addition to the energy of the changing seasons.
The focus is on Asian-inspired dining; one that is innovative, attentive and fresh and presents flavours from different regions of China, like Hunan, Sichuan, Mongolia, Peking and Canton, as well as cuisine from Southeast Asia. As the menu reads: “The freshness of our scratch kitchen comes to life with the power of The Wok, a 2000 year old Asian tradition that is one of the purest forms of cooking. The intense 450-degree heat cooks food in a matter of seconds, so it retains its nutritional value and flavour.” The Northern-style Chinese wok creates a ‘wok hay’ or ‘breathe of wok’, which results in a mix of unique smoky, caramelised flavours and crispy textures.
Just to give an idea of the precision employed to create masterpieces, the menu presents a quote from Philip Chiang: “Simplicity and balance are key when cooking Mongolian beef. The beef and the green onion have to be cut the same length to be eaten together, which is the true intention of the recipe. Both the beef and the green onion are important to the texture and flavour. The green onions are not a garnish.”
For a complete culinary experience, the cofounder recommends guests to order ‘Family –Style’ and share a couple of appetisers and entrees. “Asian tradition suggests combining one dish from the sea and one from the land. Pair it with some noodles or fried rice and enjoy it with your favourite drink,” states the menu, and that is exactly what we did with suggestions from our friendly host. We started with the mandatory ‘Dynamite Shrimps’, the signature starter of battered shrimps with an explosive spicy sauce, and followed that ‘Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps’, a delicious combination of stir-fried chicken and other traditional ingredients, served on a bed of rice noodles and a side of fresh iceberg lettuce wraps.
Our luncheon, however, began with refreshing fruit drinks. With summer pushing the heat and humidity levels up, what better start to any meal than a glass of cooler, right? We started our P. F. Chang’s experience with ‘Strawberry Citrus’ – a fruity blend of strawberry, lemon and blueberries, ‘Pomegranate Cosmo’ – a tart and sweet treat with a hint of elegance, ‘Asian Pear Mojito’ – a Cuban tradition with an Asian twist, and ‘Shanghai Surprise’ – a fusion of mango, pineapple and orange juices with a hint of sweet strawberry and a splash of ginger ale.
On the vegetarian front, although the dishes are limited, the bistro does cook up scrumptious vegetarian starters and mains. We tried the spring rolls and the ‘Coconut Curry Vegetables’, a dish of stir fried vegetables, crispy silken tofu and peanuts tossed in a vegetarian coconut curry sauce. Alongside the curry, we also tasted ‘Sesame Chicken’, a combination of sliced chicken breast, broccoli, red bell peppers and yellow onions with a serving of rice. The dish is wholesome in its taste and presentation, but for those whose palates are honed on spicy food, it might come across a trifle too sweet.
And while on sweet, we finished off our gustatory experience with ‘Banana Spring Rolls’, which features an arrangement of banana pieces with a heaping of vanilla ice cream in the centre; the banana pieces are rolled in cinnamon and sugar and wrapped in a wonton and fried to present them in crispy avatars.