A taste of China in Alabang

I have no doubt that the most popular Chinese restaurant in the US is P.F. Chang’s. And for the first time in all of Asia, the diner finally opened its doors for business in the Philippines. Terracotta soldiers and horse statues in ancient China gear — hallmarks of the restaurant’s decor — will be waiting for you at its new outlet in Alabang Town Center.

Restaurant chain co-founder Philip Chiang was present at the opening, along with P.F. Chang’s president for global brand development Michael Welborn and director for international marketing Genaro Perez. Chiang thanked the full house for joining the celebration.

Chiang said, “This is our first foray into a totally Asian environment, with a large Chinese community. Since I haven’t experienced the Philippines yet, I don’t know what will distinguish us; but I feel that so far, we’ve always raised the bar in terms of the Chinese dining experience in countries where we’ve opened.”

Bringing P.F. Chang’s to the Philippines was the idea of Archie Rodriguez, president and CEO of Global Restaurant Concepts, Inc. The restaurant has been popular in the US since it first opened in Scottsdale, Arizona. It serves cuisines inspired by the different regions of China, reflecting a range of new influences from across Asia. The restaurant also has a culinary thrust of simplicity and uses only natural and fresh ingredients with no garnishes or artificial flavors.

Archie said, “When looking for restaurants to bring home, we like to consider a few simple factors: Is our personal experience at the restaurant consistently memorable? Is the food good and fresh, using the best ingredients? Are the service and culture above par? Is the concept sound? Will the menu and atmosphere appeal to families? We believe P.F. Chang’s scored high marks in all of these categories. And we are excited to share our experience with the rest of the Philippines.”

Guests got the chance to enjoy and try some of the specialties like crab wontons, dynamite shrimp, Mongolian beef and spicy chicken. Other signature dishes include Chang’s chicken lettuce wraps, Mongolian beef (made from US Angus beef) caramelized in the wok with garlic and scallions and the flavorful Northern-style spare ribs. It also serves a variety of special drinks like lucky cat martini, Asian pear mojito and organic agave margarita.

P.F. Chang’s recently won the Best Overall Beverage Program at the 2012 Cheers Beverage Excellence Awards and topped the Zagat survey for most popular full-service chain.