P.F. Chang's

[Greenville]

P.F. Chang's is nothing special. Just another chain restaurant. I prefer the Cricket BBQ. Are they still in business? Pete's hotdogs?

Just because it is a chain doesn't mean that it isn't a positive gain for the Greenville restaurant market. They don't put P.F. Chang's restaurants just anywhere like they do Waffle House. It says something about Greenville to get a P.F. Chang's. Same goes for getting a Ruth's Chris. I don't care if they are chains, they are new additions to the market that other cities would love to have.

[g-man430]

Just because it is a chain doesn't mean that it isn't a positive gain for the Greenville restaurant market. They don't put P.F. Chang's restaurants just anywhere like they do Waffle House. It says something about Greenville to get a P.F. Chang's. Same goes for getting a Ruth's Chris. I don't care if they are chains, they are new additions to the market that other cities would love to have.

I totally agree with this statement.

[NYTransplant]

I agree too. I'm no fan of chain restaurants, but what it does say is that Greenville is more than just a dot on the map.

[goodbye]

I wonder if Cheesecake Factory will locate next to the Thomasville furniture store?

[janrey]

I've never eaten at Chang's but I'm surprised no one has mentioned Liu's Chinese Bistro. The food is very good.

[dimebag1980]

Egghhh, Smokey Bones....lol. Oddly enough, they are designed by a Greenville archetectural firm. I fly to Tulsa tommorow to open the one out there.

Do you fly to all the openings? Did you by chance open the Shreveport one? Just curious.

PS... no offense, but Smokey Bones isn't the best BBQ I've had. I prefer many of the local BBQ joints to that chain any day. I welcomed it with open arms and an open mind, but aside from the TV volume controls at each table/booth, I wasn't impressed.

[dimebag1980]

I wrote to P.F. Changs a couple of months ago to ask about the rumor that they were locatiing on Pelham Road. The reply that I received indicated that there were no plans for Greenville at this time. I think I posted the reply in one of the other threads.

Don't take what they say as gospel. Of course they're going to say things like that to keep rumors to a minimum while negotiations go on about possible locations.

I happen to know, for a fact, that PF Chang's is fishing for the perfect location in Shreveport-Bossier, but I can't get them to tell me straight forward. I e-mailed them many months back and got a very similar response to the one you received, even after I'd seen their initial site plans for their proposed Shreveport location.

Again, I wouldn't put much stock into what they say, as they're likely just trying to keep rumors down while ironing out details... it's a typical practice with most chains.

[jarvismj]

I used to fly out to do all the installs of POS equipment, but I've since been laid off from that job. I actually cabled the Shreveport location of Bones, but did not go back to install that store. What I found odd about Shreveport, and granted, I didn't look around the Youree area, but it wasn't right beside a mall, but in a suburban strip mall area, ala what Greenville's area that it would go into, aka Woodruff Rd.

In my opinion, Bones is just another chain restaurant. Some of the stuff they serve is good, but I'd take a local hole in the wall anyday.

[dimebag1980]

I used to fly out to do all the installs of POS equipment, but I've since been laid off from that job. I actually cabled the Shreveport location of Bones, but did not go back to install that store. What I found odd about Shreveport, and granted, I didn't look around the Youree area, but it wasn't right beside a mall, but in a suburban strip mall area, ala what Greenville's area that it would go into, aka Woodruff Rd.

In my opinion, Bones is just another chain restaurant. Some of the stuff they serve is good, but I'd take a local hole in the wall anyday.

Yeah it's funny, I've noticed most Smokey Bones locations I've seen are in areas near large malls. I suppose the reason for their Shreveport location was because the suburban Youree location is much busier than the areas around both malls.

That's cool, though, sounds like you have a pretty eventful job, getting to travel to many store openings and such.

[Fiddlestix]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Lieu's Chinese Bistro. The food is very good.

I agree! While the "status" and "prestige" are legitimate reasons to hope for a PF Chang's, if it's the food you like, then Lieu's delivers that already.

It's funny because I live less than 2 miles from Lieu's but had always gotten our Chinese from Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant just across the street at Woodruff Gallery. But that was always for take-out. Then went for dinner and chose Lieu's and it was a great discovery. Practically in my backyard, too.

Of course Great Wall is also practically in my backyard and I have yet to try it out.

I can say that none of it is really all that authentic. Must be the suppliers, because it's like the pizza. For some reason it's just not the same as you'd get in the Northeast or even Chicago. Then again, I think Chinese food is like pizza in that you can have a broad understanding of what it is and across the spectrum it's all terrific. One Kung Pao can be world's apart from another, but even though they bear little resemblance to each other, the odds are that both will be great by their own rights.

Still, for me, there's something about Lieu's that makes it worth driving the extra 200 yards....

[Greenville]

Lieu's is excellent, and any Chinese restaurant in the area will be hard-pressed to beat it (P.F. Chang's included).

[janrey]

I can say that none of it is really all that authentic. Must be the suppliers, because it's like the pizza. For some reason it's just not the same as you'd get in the Northeast or even Chicago. Then again, I think Chinese food is like pizza in that you can have a broad understanding of what it is and across the spectrum it's all terrific. One Kung Pao can be world's apart from another, but even though they bear little resemblance to each other, the odds are that both will be great by their own rights.

Still, for me, there's something about Lieu's that makes it worth driving the extra 200 yards....

Yeah I say that all the time about pizza and subs. There was nothing like the <insuert town name> House of Pizza up in Massachusetts. Until recently, it was near impossible to get a hot sub and even now it's still not

up to par. Ingredients maybe harder to come by down here, when you are a mom & pop restarant rather than a chain. In Boston, of course, there is China town where one can get anything and everything. However, we do have on thing over the North or Chicago...weather http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/:shades:

[greenvillite]

Most of you guys probably already know about this. Just in case some of you don't ... PF Changs is expected to open up in May 2006 @ The Shoppes at Greenridge. Woohooo !!!

[goodbye]

Welcome to Greenville, greenvillite! I hope you find this place as exciting as we all do. UrbanPlanet.org is the best place to stay up on the latest discussions around town.