Selma Roth Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – The opening of a new restaurant often results in it being the talk of the town in a country where people are “hungry for something new,” let alone inaugurating six American franchises all at once and all at the same mall. The honor falls Le Mall on Jeddah's Tahlia Street, which recently opened its six eateries and a Starbucks – all operated by Alshaya International Trading Co. – without much fanfare. But that is not needed at such a location and with such brands. The chains, which include The Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang's, Shake Shack, IHOP, Texas Roadhouse, and PizzaExpress, have been known and anticipated by many well-traveled Saudis and expats. How the concept of bringing all these popular restaurants at a single venue, which can serve up to 1,300 customers, is going to work from a logistical point of view seems to be a question Alshaya did not bother to ask itself, given the limited size of the parking area in front of the mall. And most citizens seem not to worry either, as the masses of people attending the restaurants attest. After all, you can always double park or park on the (already overcrowded) road. Another serious issue is the lack of bathrooms. The restaurants housed here are quite pricey, but do not even offer bathroom facilities inside. At least at some, access to the bathrooms is from outside the mall, so something basic like washing your hands before a meal becomes a real headache. On the occasion of the opening of P.F. Chang's, which serves Chinese-inspired food combined with “American-style service and management,” co-founder Philip Chiang came to Jeddah to inaugurate the restaurant during a media lunch. The restaurant, which currently has 200 branches in the United States and 40 more in Canada, Latin America and the Middle East, was founded in 1993, when Chiang and his partner Fleming opened the first branch in Arizona. “Before that, I was running my own restaurant in Los Angeles, where I still live. A gentleman known by the name Paul Fleming used to come to my restaurant – he was a regular customer. He really liked my food, so he asked me to help him open a restaurant in Arizona.” Chiang, who was born in Shanghai and studied art in Los Angeles, was not a novice in the business. His mother Cecilia Chiang had opened “The Mandarin” in San Francisco in the 1960s, one of the first in the US that served Chinese food from the north of the country instead of the often found Cantonese dishes, and which became famous for its high-end, aristocratic Chinese cuisine. Although Chiang was not interested in the restaurant business – “I wanted to be an artist” – his mom asked him once to keep an eye on her restaurants when she traveled back to China to visit her family. “I never went back to art school,” he said. Chiang, however, preferred “a more casual style of dining and a more casual style of food”, describing the food he served at his own business ‘The Mandarette' as “cleaned-up street food.” The same style of food can be found at P.F. Chang's China Bistro, which, according to Chiang, cooks “everything to order” and offers “very simple, clean and fresh” dishes. There is no doubt that the American influence goes a little beyond its service and management, as Chiang stated. Such evidences as the Asian Chopped Chicken Salad laden with dressing – despite the addition of ginger not really a ‘typically' Chinese looking and tasting dish – as well as the cocktails that were “designed to go with our food.” Looking at the desserts you can hardly speak of an American influence. The Great Wall of Chocolate – six layers of frosted chocolate cake topped with semi-sweet chocolate chips, served with fresh strawberries and a generous amount of raspberry sauce – has nothing to do with anything Chinese, except for the name of course. This Americanized menu, however, does not make the dishes less delectable. The truth is that the dishes – except for the oily spring rolls –taste fresh and clean indeed. Most guests are pleasantly surprised by the Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps, which for Americans takes a little explanation on how to eat them, but for people from this part of the world speaks for itself. “Put some chicken mix on the lettuce, roll it up, and pick it up with your hand,” Chiang explained. There is a vegetarian version of this dish and several others as well; P.F. Chiang's clearly considers guests with dietary needs. As everything is cooked to order, dishes can easily be adapted to the customer's wishes, so do not hesitate to ask for a gluten-free or vegetarian version of a dish. The downside is that despite the extensive training they receive, the waiters, at least in Jeddah, are not very knowledgeable of the dishes' ingredients. One waiter assured that the Hot and Sour Soup, made with eggs and tofu, was vegetarian. It turned out to have chicken. At all branches, the food is nearly the same. Chiang said: “We put a lot of effort in assuring that the food is consistent.” A hit in America are the Dynamite Shrimps, and they are already a success in the Kingdom as well. The shrimps are served in a slightly spicy and zesty Japanese mayonnaise. While ensuring the food is consistent at all 240 branches, each restaurant has its own décor. The one in Le Mall gives customers an urban factory feel with its high ceiling, bricks, and metal bars. The brown hues and oriental touches, however, give the restaurant a friendly ambiance. Among the main courses, the Mongolian Beef is one of the restaurant's bestsellers and has been on the menu since they first opened 20 years ago. It is a simple though pricey dish of soy-glazed beef with spring onion and garlic. The Chengdu Spiced Lamb, a grass-fed lamb grilled on charcoal and marinated in a spicy and sour sauce served with cherry tomatoes and onions, is a dish loved by many as well. All main dishes are accompanied by steamed white or – a healthy surprise – brown rice. A fairly wholesome meal at P.F. Chang's almost inevitably ends with a caloric dessert, such as the delightful Great Wall of Chocolate mentioned above. The Banana Spring Rolls are the perfect option for those who wish to end their meal in Chinese style. The combination of warm banana spring rolls with a hint of cinnamon, served with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with a light caramel sauce, is simply irresistible. Opening hours: Daily from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. On Sundays open until midnight.
