By: Finance Foodie
Last night (May 18), the
P.F. Chang’s restaurant group celebrated the launch of
Vineyard 518, their new in-house wine, with a nationwide toast at….5:18pm. The
Vinyard 518 label, which currently comes in a Sauvignon Blanc and a Syrah blend, is stored in eco-friendly recyclable packaging to reduce its carbon footprint during shipment (environmentalists take note: now you can feel EXTRA good while you imbibe)!
At the Boston media dinner, I had a chance to sample both wines during a paring dinner after the toast. Our table started off with shrimp dumplings, spare ribs, and chicken lettuce wraps. I thought the shrimp dumplings and the lettuce wraps really brought out the crisp citrus tones of the Sauvignon Blanc.
For the main course, we had the VIP Duck (glazed with plum sauce and served with flatbread, scallions and cucumbers) and the Mongolian Beef (sautéed with scallions and garlic). I thought the duck and the Mongolian beef paired quite well with the rich and earthy flavor of the Syrah.
I’ve always though of P.F. Chang’s as a great place for the non-adventurous diner to gently ease into Asian cuisine. As someone who grew up on traditional homemade Chinese cuisine while living in Texas (aka land of BBQ and Chicken Fried Steak) – I have seen first hand how some said dishes can be….well, intimidating (cue traumatic incident with biscuits-and-grits loving Caucasian dinner guest when offered chicken and pigs feet). Although I do question the preparation and validity of certain dishes (what exactly is a “VIP” Duck? Do the “non-VIP” ducks get served at
Panda Express?), I do give P.F. Chang a lot of credit for making Chinese food more accessible, appealing, and appreciated by the mainstream Western culture.
And as an aside, since I am a fan of all things alliterative, I thought this “518” play was beyond ingenious – someone in P.F. Chang’s marketing department deserves a raise (and I mean more than a toast)!
P.F. Chang's
800 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02199
(617) 378-9961
5 comments:
Great info, it tells me that people look at a very wide group of factors when making their wine buying decisions. That is the beauty of the internet, a consumre can find a wide range of information in a quick amount of time. With that info, they can Look At Labels, and then decide for themselves what to buy.
First time commenter here. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your blog.
Thanks for reading!
As someone who both works on Wall st. and enjoys food, I hope you are significantly better in your day job. Small tip, if you consider yourself a true "foodie," my advice would be to stop visiting PF Changs, Flemings Steakhouse and Wagamama and use your AMEX Centurion card (I am sure you have one since you are so SIZE and attend Moview premiers, fashion week and other high brow galas) and start reviewing places that foodies actually care about, like Menton, Towne and Market. If I wanted a review of a TGIF Fridays or McDonalds, I would ask my 8 year old nephew. I don't mean to be so negative, but have little tolerance for those that try so hard to prove to everyone how hip, cool and cutting edge they are by publishing their lives on line. My advice, start reading a good food blog like "The Heat," written by a Wall St. Alum and real "foodie" and report back. Thanks
@Tom thanks for your comment. If you read all of my blog, you will see I visit a variety of places - HIGH and MID and LOW end. I think its important to have a varied palate and appreciate cuisine at all price points, no matter how much or little money you have. Menton, Towne and Market are all expensive high end places that not everyone can or will have the opportunity to visit, given the uncertainty in the current economy.
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