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| - Madison is not a great town for Chinese food--nothing remotely comparable in authenticity or diversity of regional cuisines to what one finds in major coastal cities, and most options are watered down to relatively unadventurous midwestern tastes. Thus, commentary on P.F. Chang's lack of "authenticity" is rather meaningless in the Madison context.
Chang's is, of course, part of an upscale national chain, for both better and worse. Were there more exciting--and less stereotypic-- family-run options in town (as there are with Thai and Laotian food), I would likely prefer them. And the larger local operations--notably including local favorite Imperial Gardens--strike me as insipid. Compared to those options, Chang's does what it does pretty well--offering fairly distinctive and imaginative tastes from a variety of regional Chinese cuisines. Spicing is more interesting and assertive than the local norm, and most of the options less gloppy. There are some lively vegetarian choices--we especially like their eggplant dish. And there are several lamb choices, unusual for Madison Chinese restaurants. Ambience is upscale bistro, somwhat loud except for a seasonal outdoor patio. Service quality has varied over multiple visits, with lots of relatively inexperienced, although generally friendly, young staff.
Not for every taste or budget, but in my view the closest to a decent place for Chinese-style food in town.
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