PF Chang's (3 forks/$16pp)

I am coming down with a cold and feeling antisocial today. Ah ha! An opportunity to blog about P.F. Chang's wonton soup! P.F. Chang's is the one place everyone seems to like. I usually go with large groups and share dishes - my favorite way to dine. I am usually so thrilled at the prospect of eating the Orange Peel Shrimp with the perfect Brown Rice, that I have trouble looking at anything else. But today was all about soup.

First, the bad news. For some reason they only sell this soup by the bowl ($7). The "bowl" is actually more of a casserole dish. I know you won't beleive me, and my photo didn't work out, but this "bowl" is at least a half gallon of soup. It is the perfect size for sharing with a family, but more than a meal in itself for one person.

Now, the good news. The broth has such depth of flavor that I would eat it without any embellishment. But, this soup is way beyond broth. It is loaded with shrimp, chunks of white meat chicken, sliced button mushrooms, and fresh spinch leaves. The "bowl" contains about a dozen plump wontons as well. I realize that the recipe is far from authentic, but it earns the spot as the best wonton soup I have ever tasted.

I also ordered an appetizer of fried green beans($5) for a little crunch on the side. These were sparingly battered and fried and served with a spicy remoulade-like sauce. While they were tasty, they certainly did not deserve the "as addictive as potato chips" citation on the menu. They were a bit greasy for my taste and I would not order them again. Still, I somehow managed to polish off half the generous plateful. Next time, I will get the fried wontons. They aren't on the menu, but they are freshly prepared and provided with a yummy sweet dipping sauce.

I left full, happy, and with enough soup for tomorrow's lunch. If there is a P.F. Chang's in your vicinity, go, go, go!

We loved the weather but unfortunately not the food. The bread was barely edible & the dishes were way too salty. My veal was extemely tender & tasty but also on the salty side. The soup was just "a bowl of beans". Very dissapointing & very exepensive. We will defintely be trying the restaurant next door "Opus 5" in the very near future. I love fine dining & I am very unhappy when I do not enjoy the meal. The service was also very slow & not attentive.

Cucina D'Angelo (2 forks/$21pp)

We visited Cucina D'Angelo (http://cucinadangelo.com/) today for lunch. The weather was perfect for a delicious italian lunch and our table overlooked a fountain and peaceful courtyard. The menu was fantastic and the server was pleasant. The day seemed ideal for trying this highly-rated restaurant.

We were drooling for bread as we walked past Opus 5's bread basket and were quite disappointed when our hard cold tasteless slices came out with icy hard butter. The pasta fagiole was more a bowl of salty beans than soup.

Joanne was tempted by the daily special ($16.95) with soup or salad, veal or fish of the day, and pasta. She chose the veal, which the waiter declared the best in Boca. The plate was a bit small for the price, but Joanne declared the veal very tender. It was served in a red sauce with mushrooms aside angelhair.

I opted for the classic Linguine al Vongole ($16.95) and had two major complaints. First, the dish was over seasoned - too salty to enjoy. Second, the dish was prepared as Pasta al Oglio, with browned sliced garlic in oil. Where were the red pepper flakes, the parsley, and the sauce? This dish was crying for lemon, which was not provided. Where did that pleasant server go? On the plus side, plenty of clams were in the dish. I almost forgot to mention that the pasta was not lingiune but spagetti.

Overall, on a day when everything was working in this restaurant's favor, we were served a very disappointing meal. The service, while pleasant, was very slow and negligent. We took almost 2 hours for lunch. My most hated dining moment is when you are made to wait for the check, as we did at lunch today. We won't be going back there. One salty dish could be forgivable, but when two dishes come out salty, you have to suspect the chef's taste is off.

After tax and tip the lunch cost $21/person, an unsavory end to an unsatisfying lunch. At least we discoverred Opus 5, which is definitely on the list for a future visit! Aside from the scrumptious bread basket, we spied luscious-looking salmon and salads. The menu is also appealing. We will post it soon......