Pei Wei is a Chinese/Asian inspired bistro chain that can essentially be considered a mini P.F. Chang's. And appropriately so, since it is in fact a branch of the P.F. Chang's franchise. I normally prefer to steer clear of chain restaurants, but Pei Wei is nowhere near the scale of over-saturation set by Applebee's, Chili's, etc. My wife and I discovered the restaurant in Woodbury, MN last year, assuming that it was a high-profile Chinese buffet of sorts. Although I was somewhat disappointed that it was not a buffet, the food definitely did not disappoint, nor did the restaurant itself overall.
In a similar fashion to my review of the BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery, the categories in this review will be slightly modified to account for the fact that there is no dedicated server beyond someone bringing the food to your table. The categories are as follows:
1) Overall Service
2) Food Quality
3) Catering to Dietary Needs
Overall Service
The way you order your food at Pei Wei is very similar to your typical buffet experience, if you've ever eaten at a place like Ponderosa, Old Country Buffet, or Golden Corral where you pay for your food before being seated. There is a large menu as you walk in, and a more compact version posted right in front of the registers. You order, they hand you an order number card and a cup to fill yourself at the drink fountain, you get your own silverware, and you find your own table to sit at.
“So where does the actual service come in?” you may be asking. Despite the lack of overall customer to employee interaction, I have yet to have a negative experience with any of the employees. It goes without saying that the service doesn't compare to what you would get at an actual P.F. Chang's restaurant. We have rarely been treated rudely by any of the employees, and they have been quite helpful by first introducing us to the gluten-free menu they offer. The servers have always asked if we need anything else after delivering our food, and are quick to correct any mistakes made or answer any questions about the food. Finally, although inconsistent between visits, the servers have sometimes returned to the table to take our dishes away and box any leftovers. The inconsistency of this is not a big deal since you can just leave with the dishes on the table, but could potentially be annoying to other customers that prefer more of a full-service dining experience.
My one real complaint is that the service appears to be disorganized at times. One instance in particular was when we had our order number card displayed, yet when the server was ready with our food he walked around the entire dining area before returning to the kitchen. Moments later he returned and finally found our table. Not a huge issue, but annoying all the same.
All things considered I believe the service is on par with other restaurants of its kind, and spares the customer potential unsatisfactory service they risk getting from a full-service restaurant.
RATING: 7 / 10
Food Quality
The menu at Pei Wei is relatively small, especially if you compare it to the selections available at P.F. Chang’s. The selections available are expanded upon when one considers that many of the entrées have as many as 3 meat selections (or vegetables and tofu for vegetarians) including chicken, beef, and shrimp.
Of the selections on the appetizer menu, I have tried their Crab Wontons and the Edamame. The edamame, while in small quantity compared to other establishments, has always been perfect. A nice amount of salt, the pods were never soggy or over-cooked, and the pods were never cold – as if they had barely been cooked. Though one would think preparing soybeans would not be a big deal, it surprises me how often I am served improperly prepared edamame.
The crab wontons are hard for me to come to a firm decision on. I do like them, however they always seem to be lacking in some form. The texture and taste of the wontons combined with the spicy zing of the sweet chile dipping sauce is good overall, but it’s missing a certain level of sweetness that I’ve come to expect from crab wontons. Despite cream cheese being listed as an ingredient, I never actually taste it in a wonton. This could be a good thing in regards to overall healthier eating and the strong possibility that my preferred taste is derived from cheap buffet wontons stuffed with cream cheese, and if that’s the case then I applaud Pei Wei. For all I know however, there could be just as much in these as there is in the buffet wontons, and if so then I expect to have that satisfying sweet flavor as I bite into each piece.
As an entrée, I always opt for the Signature Dishes category over the Noodle & Rice Bowls as a matter of personal preference. Of these dishes I have tried the Honey Seared Chicken, Pei Wei Spicy Chicken, and most recently the Sweet & Sour Chicken. As an eternal fan of spicy foods, I have to rank the spicy chicken dish as my favorite. If you enjoy real General Chu/Tso/etc chicken, not the bland buffet kind without spice or taste, I guarantee that you will love this dish.
I have no real preference between the honey seared and the sweet & sour, as they are both delicious choices. I don’t completely agree with how the honey seared chicken is advertised on the menu however. Despite not having the signature “spicy dish” icon next to it on the menu, this dish does in fact have some spice to it; most likely on account of the chile oil listed in the ingredients. Perhaps even too much spice for those of you that prefer to steer clear of food with “heat”.
The sweet & sour chicken dish is, in my opinion, the best dish available at Pei Wei for anyone that wants to avoid the heat. The sweet and sour sauce is delectably sweet without overtaking the taste of the chicken, and the pineapple pieces are a delicious accent to eat bite. I recommend cutting the pieces of chicken first, so you don’t look silly like I did trying to stick a fork full of rice, chicken, and pineapple into my mouth at once.
For all of the entrées I would say that there is only one real issue, which can vary in significance depending on your point of view. The quality of the rice (choice of white or brown) has suffered at times, and considering it makes up half of the plate on signature dishes, this could be a big problem for some people. My complaint is that there have been a few times when the rice, although cooked, still had a significantly grainy…uncooked texture in the middle at times. This has only occurred twice that I can remember, and it didn’t hamper my dish so much that I couldn’t finish it. I always get the brown rice instead of the white, so perhaps this could be an isolated issue.
Despite a few quirks I have enjoyed every meal at Pei Wei. While none of them would be in my list of favorites, any lover of Chinese food will not be disappointed in what they have to offer.
RATING: 7 / 10
Catering to Dietary Needs
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to find that this restaurant, unlike general Americanized Asian restaurants, has a gluten-free menu available. Sadly it is a small menu, consisting of only 6 items: 2 appetizers, 2 salads, and 2 entrées. As with the regular menu however, this is slightly expanded to 9 items since one of the salads and both entrées have a choice of either chicken or shrimp. As an added bonus, gluten and dairy-free patrons are able to enjoy a specially made batter on their sweet & sour chicken dish (this could apply to the Pei Wei Spicy as well but I have not yet verified). After asking one of the managers, I was informed that the gluten-free batter does contain eggs, but no ingredients with gluten or dairy. Whether this varies between restaurants I do not know, but I recommend verifying with the closest Pei Wei establishment.
Despite these positive notes, the restaurant doesn’t seem to be very willing to go beyond their set limitations on the menus. If two of the entrées can be gluten-free, why can’t the others? Perhaps it’s a matter of company-specific sauces, or certain ingredients that can’t be left out…whatever it is, it really is a disappointment in my eyes.
While Pei Wei does take a few steps beyond most restaurants in catering to dietary needs, it seems to be overall inflexible beyond its set limitations of the gluten-free menu. These are steps in the right direction but I would like to see a lot more.
RATING: 6 / 10
Despite not being one of our favorite places to eat, my wife and I always choose Pei Wei when we want to have some good Chinese food. It’s fast, it’s good, and they have food she can eat without having to worry about her food allergies.
*** OVERALL RATING: 7 / 10
Pei Wei Asian Diner
8300 Tamarack Village
Woodbury, MN 55125
(651) 286-3990
