Think Twice Before Ordering This Lackluster Soup From P.F. Chang's

After heading into P.F. Chang's with a grumbling stomach, you may be tempted to order an appetizer while you wait for Chang's spicy chicken (aka the best menu item to order) to arrive at your table. While there are plenty of underrated menu items you should order at P.F. Chang's, there are also a few dishes you should think twice about ordering at the Chinese chain restaurant. Tasting Table sampled some of the most popular menu items and ranked them from worst to best, finding some clear winners and others that are best kept nowhere near your table. 

One such example, their classic wonton soup, left us wanting, to say the least. A wonton soup recipe should offer tasty broth that is enjoyable to spoon into your mouth, but P.F. Chang's soup was not what we had anticipated. Not only was the bowl filled with wontons, but an assortment of chicken, mushrooms, and shrimp are also packed into each one. If you're a vegan or vegetarian, this is not the order for you. While those with hearty appetites may not complain about these additional protein-packed items, the extra ingredients result in a dish that is far from light.

The few extra pieces of protein that are mixed into the wonton soup served at P.F. Chang's feel like a rather haphazard addition and do little in the way of turning up the dials of flavor on this starter. To further dig this order into the ground, the plump wontons we were hoping for were instead droopy, weak-looking, sad dumplings. This kind of dining disappointment could have easily been avoided with a different order of our go-to lettuce wraps or crab wontons. Other diners have experienced the soup served cold and complained about the chicken being dry with no flavor. 

One thrifty foodie simply decided to set out and make a copycat wonton soup recipe at home to avoid the cost of the appetizer and have more control over the flavors of the dish. While some may appreciate the size of the wonton soup served at the restaurant, with one Tripadvisor reviewer even calling it their go-to appetizer, those looking for a lighter start to their meal may want to choose something a bit more conservative. Splitting the soup among diners may be a workable option, but you'll need to negotiate how to best divide the serving with those who are open to meat and seafood dishes. Better yet, save room for the main meal.