P.F. Chang's
8315 Park Meadows Center Dr
Littleton, 303-790-7744
Sun - Thur, 11 AM - 11 PM
Fri - Sat, 11 AM - Midnight

I hit the suburbs this week for two reasons. First, I heard that the food at P.F. Chang's was good. Second, I got a tip from a fellow freak that he had been shunned previously at the Park Meadows branch of this establishment (there is also a P.F. Chang's in LoDo).

I showed up in full freak-gear expecting it to go down the same for me, but (somewhat to my disappointment) it didn't. The service and treatment were just as good as the food. P.F. Chang's is Yuppie-riffic. Yep, Yupperino. The Yupmeister. Headquarters for the Global Yuppie Convention. Not only was I the only freak in the joint, I was probably the only one there who hadn't spent three bills on his shoes.

Beyond the clientele, Chang's is a pretty weird place. Marcie, my excellent server for the evening, described it as "American Chinese Bistro." I guess that's one way to put it. The vaulted ceilings have a Western feeling structure, mixed wth gigantic Chinese statues and small Chinese modern furniture.

And, to top it all off, the 80s are alive and well on the Chang's sound system. Somehow Olivia Newton John was the perfect compliment to the disjointed decor and prepped-out clientele. I'd always wondered what that particular genre of music was put on this Earth for. Now I know.

But enough of this fish-out-of-water stuff. Let's get to the food.

I started with Peking Steamed Dumplings with Traditional Potsticker Sauce. They were incredible! Stuffed with seasoned pork and veggies, these treats were so good that I couldn't bear to spread the wealth. With only four dumplings to an order, this is one plate that you'll guard carefully from the prying fingers of your friends.

For the main course I ordered the Seared Ahi Salad, which had just enough wasabi but not quite enough ahi. As with many Asian dishes, it looks a little scary if you don't know what to expect. There's a sort of film over the whole thing that's created by cooking an egg in the hot liquid of the sauce. It might not have been the prettiest dish in the place, but it went down alright.

My characteristic coffee and Coke never ran dry, and for dessert I decided the dumpling appetizers were so good that I'd have another round. The token fortune cookie (a paperweight for the moderate bill) contained a fortune that was actually true!

And no, I won't tell you what it was. Some dining experiences are best left private.

All in all, I had a good meal out. Marcie was attentive and friendly. She had good server timing. I didn't feel like I was being shined on or given the bum's rush.

To really describe the place, I'll have to give it two grades. First, the tattoo grade: Relatively painless, colorful, and easy to wear. The wrestling grade: An easy pin and fast win.

Until next time, I'm always on the watch for an adventure in dining and the rejections of the service-impaired. B