P F Changs

[JustMe75]

Does anyone know if PF Changs rice (brown and white) are gluten free? I know rice is ok but do they cook it with something that isn't ok? I ordered off the gluten-free menu but she brought my husbands rice and told me it was mine, then I realized there isn't rice on the gluten-free menu. I feel sick and have a foggy headache. Not sure if I ate something bad or if I am getting the flu. I am real new to this and learning the hard way. I ate 3 things over the last 2 days that I later read were not gluten-free. Not sure how long I will feel bad after getting "glutened" maybe this is leftover from yeserday??

[momandgirls]

Yes, all the rice is gluten free at PF Changs. It's just rice and water.

[sparkles]

I know that they have a gluten-free menu and I order from it BUT still get sick!!! I think like most restuarants CC can and does take place. I think you just have to learn from experience and even if they say gluten-free, be prepared for CC. There are only a few places that I really trust!!!! PFChangs is NOT one of them...least ways the one in Edina, MN.

[modiddly16]

I had the same problem...got really sick after ordering from the gluten-free menu...they even said "here's the gluten-free so and so" when they brought it out...this was in Georgia

[Holly Sutker]

I know that they have a gluten-free menu and I order from it BUT still get sick!!! I think like most restuarants CC can and does take place. I think you just have to learn from experience and even if they say gluten-free, be prepared for CC. There are only a few places that I really trust!!!! PFChangs is NOT one of them...least ways the one in Edina, MN.

Which places do you trust?

[tiffjake]

I had dinner at my local PF Changs tonight and it was great. I always get the changs spicey chicken with white rice, and the chocolate dome cake. I never have any problems there. I think it all comes down to the location and the staff. I am so sorry to hear you guys keep getting sick there! I love that place!!

[GRUMP 1]

I have heard that there is a PF Changs in either Vancouver Wa. or Portland Or. does any one know where they are? I would love to go try them myself.

Thank you,

Grump

[wowzer]

I'm supposed to go there for dinner tomorrow. It's a new one that hasn't been open too long.

[justletmeeatcake]

I had dinner at my local PF Changs tonight and it was great. I always get the changs spicey chicken with white rice, and the chocolate dome cake. I never have any problems there. I think it all comes down to the location and the staff. I am so sorry to hear you guys keep getting sick there! I love that place!!

Same thing here! I love PF Changes....and that chocolate dome is the BEST! I always get either the philips better lemon chicken or the Ginger chicken. Also the gluten-free Chicken Lettuce Wraps are AWESOME also!

Granted....they have messed up before and I have gotten sick but what are you gonna do its a place that we can eat at. They have been very good though for the past year no mess ups!

[hathor]

A word of warning to those of you with other intolerances -- do NOT rely on what the web site tells you about ingredients. I picked something out that was on the gluten-free menu and did not have soy in the listed ingredients on the web site. When I ordered I told the waiter I couldn't eat soy either and to confirm that the dish was made without it. He came back and said that it was made with soy sauce, but I shouldn't worry because it was gluten-free soy sauce. So we had to try that again. It ended up possible to get the dish without soy sauce, but I was pretty careful looking at it and reconfirming with the waiter (and taking that first little bite).

Sometimes it pays to be paranoid. Ever since Maggiano's gave me regular pasta rather than gluten-free (after I had talked to the chef himself) I check and recheck.

Grump 1, you can look up the locations on the web site.

I ended up sending a complaint to PFChang's corporate headquarters, but I never got a response. I also told them that they should specify on their gluten-free menu which of their cocktails are gluten-free. No one could tell me if what I wanted was or wasn't. The waiter brought be the mix and let me be the judge. I decided against it because it had soy in it (in a bloody mary mix? the darn stuff is everywhere ), I don't know about gluten.

[GRUMP 1]

Finely got to eat here. We went for an appointment yesterday with one of my daughters. When she was done I asked the nurse if she knew where PF Changs was, we were only a few block away. this is such a nice place to eat...... The first time in 9 or 10 years I have been able to go into a place and order off a menu and not have to worry about what I am going to get. We went to the one in Hillsboro Or.. They were so good there helping with every question I had. They even bring out the gluten free food on special plates so you know it is gluten free.

I had the Singapore street noodles and my wife and I shared the gluten-free Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Well my daughter also had one but that is all I would let her have, lol. i am the only one out of the 3 of us that is a Celiac so they ordered off the main menu. My wife said my dish was better then hers which is a total turn around mine is always so BLAH and she get the good stuff. Ok it was some what expensive $60.00 including the tip for the 3 of us but it was SO GOOD.....

Will go back again and would highly recommend it to any one.

Grump happy now,

[hathor]

I did finally get a response from PFChang's. She told me that they have different drinks in different locations and so can't have a gluten-free list. As far as the soy was concerned, she said they couldn't list everything on their web site that may be in particular dishes and that the spinach contains soy oil, not soy sauce. Not what the waiter said the kitchen said, and soy oil isn't on the web site. (Sesame oil is.) I wrote a followup comment but haven't received a response.

So, if you have an allergy or intolerance other than gluten, check on ingredients. Do not go by the ingredient lists on the website. I still don't know if they gave me soy oil or not at this point.

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

FYI,

I always recommend eating during "non-peak" hours at restaurants (better service and easier to involve manager/chef).

Also, alter the dish in some way that makes yours even more unique. For instance, at Pf Chang's when you order the chicken wraps gluten free, also tell them to put the rice noodles on the side (the crunchy ones).

This way provides another level of protection against getting the wrong order as you will be able to see if the wraps you are eating are the correct ones if they have the noodles on the side or not. its not foolproof, but it helps.

Also, order everything without soy sauce and ask them to bring you gluten-free soy sauce on the side. This seems to be a common issue of people getting sick and it seems to have one common denominator - the soy sauce.

Just an observation (or two)

Chris

Celiac for 11 years

[vegan-dude]

Whenever I order at PF Chang's, I make sure I tell them that it's VERY important that there isn't a trace of gluten. I asked the waitress if she could inform the cook about it, and to wipe the cooking utensils and pan for gluten.

I think you have to really get the point across to the waitress/server about the seriousness of the illness. I have yet to be glutened there.

I also want to add that whenever I eat their rice, I get my symptoms. So I stay away from the rice.

[hathor]

I did get another response from PFChang's. According to it, the dish I had is made with soy oil, even though the waiter, talking to the kitchen about soy, didn't say so (he said soy sauce, which the company itself denies). And even though this ingredient is not mentioned in the list of ingredients on their web site -- a point I made, which was never addressed.

I can always request the spinach without oil, they said. Of course, plain spinach with a little garlic is simple enough to make at home. I could even season it further.

[Woodchuck]

I have heard that there is a PF Changs in either Vancouver Wa. or Portland Or. does any one know where they are? I would love to go try them myself.

Thank you,

Grump

Downtown Portland two blocks north of Burnside on NW 12th. A block from Powells Book store. This would be the best one to goto from the Vancouver area.

[gooddawg315]

I just ate at the new PF Changs in Stamford, CT. We did take out since I was at work. I asked them for a separately packaged order. I got the lettuce wrap and lemonchicken. WHen I went to pick up the food, It was all thrown toghether in 1 bag, including all the little containers of Soy sause/mustard etc. When I asked the woman at the desk where my separate gluten free order was, she said "oh its in the bag". I proceded to ask her which food items were the gluten free ones. She unloaded all the food from the bag (5 orders), and then looked at all the similar packages. Nothing was labeled! There was more than 1 order of lettuce wraps. My chicken dish looked just like the Spicy chicken. When I asked her to identify the gluten free ones, she really couldn't. "Hmmmm I'm not sure", let me find out. She brought the bag back to the kitchen. She came back out with the same bag and dismissed me by saying, Oh yeah, The gluten free ones are on top now. So....needless to say, I did not eat my food. I just didn't want to risk it. Plus, for the price we paid, $9 for wraps, $13- per entree, the amount of food was very small and dissapointing. So not a good experience there

[JustMe75]

Well, I got brave and went back to PF Changs. I was out Christmas shopping all day and was starving and there is a PF Changs at my mall so I ordered some food to go. I ordered the same thing I had before and it didn't make me sick this time. I guess it is always a gamble eating out, heck its still a gamble eating at home for me, but there are times when I am willing to take that chance.

I do have to say that when I picked up my food the guy asked me if I could have the steamed rice because he wasn't sure and I told him yes. He went in the back to get some and told me he checked with the cook and he verified that yes the rice was ok. I thought it was nice that he took the time to be concerned. Funny thing was when I got to the car and looked inside the bag there were regular packs of soy sauce, 4 containers of sauces and fortune cookies.

I guess I can't expect the general public to understand what gluten is and where it is hidden when I am still trying to make sense of it all.

[tiffanyo]

My daughter loves PF Chang We first went to one when we went up to Stanford for more tests. Now they have one down here in Monterey I think It's great. The people there where very helpful with all our questions.