"P. F. Chang's 2 with Kulap Vilaysack" is Episode 205 of Doughboys, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "P. F. Chang's 2 with Kulap Vilaysack" was released on May 30, 2019.
"Tomorrow..." - @doughboyspod
Synopsis[]
The incredible Kulap Vilaysack (Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, Origin Story) returns to the show to discuss her history with PF Chang's, an American-Chinese themed restaurant. Plus, a gooey edition of Snack or Wack.
Nick's intro[]
"The Andijanis are tyrannical to their people; government troops should comfort them with benevolence. The Andijanis are greedy in extorting from the people; the government troops should rectify this by being generous."
General Zuo Zhongtang
This is the strategic direction laid out by Chinese General Zuo Zongtang to quash an uprising of oppressed Chinese Muslims, known as the Dungan Revolution.
A ruinous conflict that led to the death or displacement of tens of millions between 1862 and 1877, the General's magnanimous approach to the Revolt, offering amnesty to the rebels who abandoned their post, backed up by the military might of his government troops, finally led to the end of the Civil War, helping to allow the Qing Dynasty to continue its reign.
The latter part of the 19th century also saw an influx of Chinese immigrants to the United States, leading to the development of a distinct sub-type of cuisine called American-Chinese food created by enterprising Chinese immigrants to appeal to American palettes while making use of widely-available canned ingredients. Among the first dishes that was a hit stateside was chop suey, which roughly translates to "odds and ends" or "miscellaneous leftovers." Other dishes followed, often using ingredients like broccoli, tomatoes, and carrots that aren't native to China, and Chinese restaurants in the U.S.'s coastal cities came to feature separate menus designed for Chinese-American and Caucasian clientele.
And, sometime in the 1970s, an unknown chef created a dish they dubbed General Tso's Chicken, akin to an American chef creating a sandwich called Ulysses S. Grant's Burger. A breaded, fried, and heavily-sauced chicken preparation with an eye-popping calorie count, the dish made the Chinese military hero a household name in the U.S., although it has no known analogue in Tso's home province of Hunan.
And today, another household name has come to indicate accessible Asian fare: the brainchild of Paul Fleming, then owner of several Ruth's Chris Steakhouse franchises, and Philip Chiang, who operated a Beverly Hills outlet of his mother's beloved San Francisco restaurant The Mandarin.
The duo's upscalish chain, founded in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1993, derives its brand from merging Paul's initials with Philip's simplified surname. Serving not just American-Chinese, but a pan-Asian menu that is specifically designed for Yankee tastebuds, today it has grown to over 300 locations.
And like General Tso's, its name lets you know the food you are about to eat is accessible American-Chinese.
This week on Doughboys, we return to P. F. Chang's.
Fork rating[]
The Doughboys initially visited P.F. Chang's in episode 168, when Nick and Mitch each rated it 3.5 forks.
| guest / host | ordered | fortune cookies | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger |
|
|
3.75 forks |
| Mike Mitchell |
|
|
3.5 forks |
| Kulap Vilaysack |
|
|
2 forks |
Nick visited the restaurant with his wife, Natalie. Mitch seems to not only have gone with Allan McLeod (#MolassesBoy), but also had Yusong pick him up a second order the next day. (That's why their orders below are relatively large.)
Flavor of the Week / Snack or Wack[]
In Flavor of the Week, The Doughboys try different varieties of one brand.
In Snack or Wack, The Doughboys have a snack and decide if it is 'good' or 'bad.'
For this episode, they try three varieties of GooGoo Clusters: The Original, Peanut Butter, and Pecan.
They all liked all three flavors and then ranked them in order of preference.
| guest / host | The Original | Peanut Butter | Pecan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger | 2nd | 3rd | 1st |
| Mike Mitchell | 2nd | 1st | 3rd |
| Kulap Vilaysack | 2nd | 3rd | 1st |
The Lettuce Rap (feat. Kulap)[]
| “ | With a lettuce wrap a lettuce rap Here goes a lettuce rap |
” |
–Mitch & Kulap re: lettuce wraps | ||
Roast Spoon[]
"Nature Boy" Ric Flair
| “ | The Nature Boy, Thic Flair | ” |
–Nicky D | ||
Quotes[]
| “ | Do you think anyone's ever put honey on their penis to try to get a bee to sting it? | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
| “ | I do not have loose butterscotch. | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
| “ | Mitch is a peanut butter baby. Mitch has peanut butter in his diapy! | ” |
–Kulap Vilaysack | ||
#hashtags[]
- #DineOutCutoffTime
- #UnnecessarilyUnhealthy
The Feedbag[]
| “ | My Grandma used to make Pop Tarts for us and then spread butter on the hot Pop Tart so the butter would melt. I also had a friend growing up whose mother would spritz the family orange juice with Sprite. Do you have any memories of plussing up food in a way that makes it unnecessarily unhealthy or odd? | ” |
–Reed in Minnesota | ||
Related Episodes[]
| P. F. Chang's episodes | Kulap Vilaysack episodes |
|---|---|
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Photos[]
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