P.F. Changs in Mooresville?

[crissy2011]

I've been hearing rumors that a P.F. Changs is coming to Mooresville, NC near exit 33. Anyone else hear about this??

[Notaslavetofashion]

Given that fact that there is a PF Chang's at Northlake Mall (exit 18), I find it hard to believe they would open another one only 15 miles away, especially considering the relatively small size of Mooresville. I'll refrain from commenting on the desirablility of actually eating at PF Chang's.

[mikeh]

From-scratch Southern cuisine has more in common with authentic Chinese food than does P.F. Chang's. See, e.g., the interview with Charlotte's Grand Asia Market owner Alice Chang pointing out the similarities in the cuisines. Both cuisines utilize foods and meats that naturally have umami up the wazoo and prepare them simply.

My personal analogs are the following:

Charleston's Husk Restaurant, southern meat-n-threes, or eastern NC bbq = cantonese cuisine
Lexington-style BBQ or cajun cuisine = schezuan cuisine
Lowcountry cuisine or gullah = Shanghai cuisine

Start thinking about it in this way, and the similarities can at times be striking. The fresh-baked snow taro buns at a cantonese restaurant versus southern biscuits and gravy, for example.

Beef & broccoli with MSG sauce from P.F. Chang's? Do not collect $200. Do not pass go.

[scoopG]

Fascinating! Anyway to provide a link to that interview mikeh? I've tried googling, but nothing has come up with her comments on the connection between Southern cuisine and Chinese.

[Artrudolph]

There is no, and never has been, MSG in any PF Changs menu items. You apparently have not done your homework.

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PF Changs
Asheville, NC, Asheville, NC

[Notaslavetofashion]

Source?

[mikeh]

Whether or not it does or does not contain MSG is ancillary to the main point that it does not in any way resemble any of the authentic regional Chinese cuisine.

If we want to get technical, PF Chang's uses autolyzed yeast extract as an MSG substitute, which like MSG is a food additive flavor enhancer. And like MSG, it contains free glutamic acid radicals. Is autolyzed yeast extract normally sitting around the home cook's kitchen? Not so much. It's a cheap and processed way to augment flavors instead of approaching anything from the standpoint of culinary merit. Plus, many people have reactions to yeast extract as well because of the common elements in their chemistry.

That this is your first post is mighty curious.