Pf Changs Restaurnat

[bklyn]

I ordered Cantonese Chow Fun off the menu which said "replace with rice stick noodles and gluten free sauce. When the food came, the noodles were wide and I told the waitress they didn't look like stick noodles. She spoke to the chef who said, this was the way he always prepared this dish. I was afraid to eat it so she took it back and the chef prepared it with rice stick noodles. They said they were going to check with corporate headquarters to see if both types of noodles were correct. Has anyone eaten this dish and how did it look?

[jknnej]

I personally LOVE PF Chang's, but I can't eat there anymore. Every single time I get sick. I don't know if it's because of gluten or because their food is high in fats or whatever, but I have learned the hard way to stay away from there. One of my friends has a similar problem when she eats there.

It sucks cus' I used to absolutely love their food.

[jenvan]

kathy, my husband and i eat there a lot, but i've never had those noodles. my last visit the manager brought me my menu and told me they always double ck the kitchen for contamination issues. i'm sure there is variation in how each store handles. you could try calling their corporate and asking?? sorry i don't know

[flagbabyds]

I eat there but I get the items that are already gluten-free just to make sure that they are gluten-free and then tell them about contamination and stuff.

[terri]

I eat there but have never ordered a dish that says substitute anything. I figure it is safer that way. Supposedly part of their kitchen is gluten free. I have never gotten sick there and I eat at two different locations. There are meals I want to try but I think I'll just play it safe with the "tried and true".

[kelmcclellan]

I have ordered a dish off the gluten free menu and it did come with wide noodles. I didn't get sick...

[terri]

Just got back from PF Changs for lunch. All this discussion made me hungry! Anyhow, I had the lettuce wraps and for the first time ordered the Oriental Chicken Salad without the fried wontons. It was excellent! In fact it just may be my new favorite thing! Once again I stayed away from their tea as I think it is flavored, and just had water with lemon. It was a lovely lunch.

[Guest madissoninva1]

I normally have no problem with PF Changs. Our celiac support group even went there for our Christmas party this year. But, the last time I went there, I ordered the gluten-free lettuce wraps. I had already eaten one of them when the waitress asked if she could take them back, claiming that they didn't "look" like the gluten-free ones. She brought me another plate of wraps which did not look or taste like the first batch, claiming that she was sorry but that THESE were the gluten free ones. I know accidents happen, but wow...once I had already eaten an entire gluten filled wrap, is it really any consolation to give me a new "free" order of the gluten free ones? The damage had already been done. I have not had the noodles that you mentioned though.

[jknnej]

Yeah, their waitstaff is the main problem, I think. When I got sick last time, the waiter was a total idiot who didn't even watch his tables. I should have known.

Anyway, I was thinking maybe I react badly to MSG or whatever is in Chinese food b/c I'm sure I'm not getting glutened everytime and I swear I get terribly sick everytime I eat there.

[uclangel422]

I actually got sick there this weekend. I ordered the lettuce wraps which i usually have no problem with and the waiter must not have been paying attention to me. He brought me the lettuce wraps and a side of sauce. An hour later when i was incredibly ill i realized that he must have brought me regular lettuce wraps and a side of the gluten free sauce. What an idiot!

[macman]

i agree with above-I only order those items that have no substituions and I berate the waiter in a nice way to let them know that it's extremely important

[Bune]

Do you have to ask for a special menu? or are the items marked on their regular menu? I LOVE PF's so I would be so excited that I could still eat there.

[terri]

Your best bet is to go on their website and download their gluten-free menu and take it with you to the restaurant. Lay it on the table and make a point of showing it to your waiter and ordering off it. Ask for the gluten-free soy sauce and have him make the special sauce with it. Order a soda or water to drink and enjoy!

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

To increase your chances of a properly prepared meal, SIT AT THE BAR!

I'm not kidding. Think about it -- normally in restaraunts, the best waiters become the bartenders. Furthermore, the kitchens at PF Chang;s at usually right behind the BAR. Annnnnnd, the bartenders are always in front of you -- they can answer all of your questions on the spot.

I have had several incidents with waiters at the restaurant but I have been 4 out of 4 for food experiences with the bartenders.

JMO

[Bune]

Good suggestion to sit at the bar, they are less likely to go away and forget about you!

Thanks everyone!

[sspitzer5]

I ate at PF Chang's last week and was very queasy after the meal. However, I don't believe the issue was gluten. It seemed more like MSG. I usually get queasy when I have MSG. I didn't have any of the usual gluten reactions.

I emailed them and was assured that they don't use any MSG and that everything in my meal was gluten free. So, I'm stumped. Why would I get queasy from lemon juice, sugar, water, ginger, broccoli, cornstarch, garlic, lemon slices, potato starch, sesame oil, and green onions?

I've always gotten queasy from Asian food. I just assumed it was MSG, but maybe not. I'd love to figure this one out, anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

Susan

[Kasey'sMom]

We ate at PF Chang's and my daughter had a reaction. We didn't know it at the time but she has a delayed allergy to garlic. We had been eating and cooking with tons of it. I would have never expected the garlic to be the culprit in the gluten-free meal.

Susan, I hope you figure it out. I know it's very frustrating!!!

Take Care

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

I know I still feel queasy when I eat fried food out.

I know they pan-fry at PF Chang's, but most of us do not use that much oil (besides olive oil) after going gluten-free. Hence, when you eat out where all they do is pan-fry, you are likely to be a bit "off".

I also tell them not to use any soy sauce, even if they think it is wheat free, I bring my own (Tamari Wheat free) -- that helps also.

Hope this helps,

Bronc

[KAthyB]

We ate at PF Changs for the first time this weekend and my daughter had the Cantonese Chow Fun with chicken and the wide noodles. I trusted that if it was on the gluten-free menu that it along with the lettuce wraps were safe. The manager came to out table and told us that the lettuce wraps were gluten-free but not all of the sauces were. He brought out a gluten-free soy sauce and told my daughter she could add in 2 of the other 4 sauces that they had on the table. She did not get sick and had a wonderful dinner. Our service was impeccable.

Kathy

[GMP]

I personally LOVE PF Chang's, but I can't eat there anymore. Every single time I get sick. I don't know if it's because of gluten or because their food is high in fats or whatever, but I have learned the hard way to stay away from there. One of my friends has a similar problem when she eats there.

It sucks cus' I used to absolutely love their food.

I also love PF Changs...their food hits the spot, especially after eating gluten-free since last September 04'--but I'm having the same problem you had with them. I was wondering if I could ask what your symptoms are after you eat there. I felt stomach pains as I was eating the Cantonese Chow Fun with the stick noodles and the food runner promised me it was with gluten-free sauce. As I left I began to feel woozy in the head and was fighting nausea all the way home. When I eat at home this never happens. Of course then the fatigue set in and the knotted feeling in my stomach and then during the night I felt I had circulation issues in my legs.

Just thought maybe you'd be interested in researching with me the ingredients as to why this happens. Do you really think they use MSG? That could be a definite reason then...my stomach was feeling weak yesterday, before I went in there-- it seems the littlest food mishaps throw me off. It's so nice to see a person close in age going through similar things. Take care and would love to chat about Celiac,

GMP

[mouse]

I ate at PF Chang's last week and ate mostly from the gluten-free menu. I always ask for it on my arrival. I ate at a new one that had just opened near me instead of driving 45 minutes to the other one. I went with a person who could order anything on the menu. The waiter was very trained and attentive. I ordered the combination fried rice which is never on the gluten-free menu. I have never been sick with it and order it everytime. I LOVE THE LEFT OVERS. This time the manager came out and said would it be alright if they left off the pork as they had none available that had not already been seasoned. I was thankful that the waiter paid attention and that the manager cared to come out and make sure that I still wanted the dish without the pork. Those of you who have great choices in NYC, I envy. I live in what they call the East Valley (east of Phoenix) and our choices (so far) are only the ones listed in the Gluten Free Guide to Restaurents. If anyone around Gold Canyon and Mesa, Arizona, knows of any others, I would love to hear about them. Happy Dining

[mouse]

Their gluten-free soy sauce is Tamari as they have brought me the bottle to my table.

[sweetie101282]

Ok, so last time I went to Changs I ordered the Cantonese Chow Fun and got the small stick noodles so I asked to speak to the manager b/c last time I had the fat noodles. He told me that if you EVER get anything other than these small stick noodles, send it back. It will not be gluten-free.

I was pretty ticked too b/c when I went and got the fat noodles they looked totally gluten-y so I double checked and of course they told me it was fine. So I guess my advice to to always check with the management if you have a question about your food. It seems just checking with the waitstaff isn't good enough...

Mimi

[jknnej]

For those of you questioning why you get sick at PF Chang's, I don't know if you read my post in this thread, but I get sick every time I eat there as well.

I don't think the issue is gluten, but for some reason I'm incredibly nauseated and fatigued after eating there. I am not allergic to any other foods; I would love to know what is going on as well.

For now, I avoid PF Chang's. Who has time to feel that bad?

[dmcf]

I personally LOVE PF Chang's, but I can't eat there anymore. Every single time I get sick. I don't know if it's because of gluten or because their food is high in fats or whatever, but I have learned the hard way to stay away from there. One of my friends has a similar problem when she eats there.

It sucks cus' I used to absolutely love their food.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The gluten-free chicken wraps at PF Chang's work well for me. Although it doesn't really need additional sauce, they've made a gluten-free fresh version for me the last few times.