VISIONS IN BLUE

interiors

The term fine dining brings to mind all kinds of images, from crisp white table cloths to waiters in proper uniforms. Fine dining, just as the name suggests, offers food mavens the finest in food, service and most importantly ambience. In fact, it is the perfect blend of beautiful interiors, great environment and scrumptious food that results in a pleasant experience. The saying goes, we eat with our eyes, and that is definitely true. One look and you decide whether you want to go inside the cafe or restaurant to enjoy a cup of coffee or a yummy meal. The food being served in an aesthetically done restaurant with a good atmosphere is all that we crave for. The fact is that a beautiful decor can do wonders in the success of a restaurant - it has the power to make or break a place.

There was a time when cafes and restaurants were made on simple lines with hardly any attention to detail. But in recent times the concept has changed altogether - now equal emphasis is given to the interior design as well, so that food enthusiasts feel welcomed and comfortable. These days restaurants across the country put in extra effort to stand out from the rest and opt for designs that are not just aesthetically appealing, but apt. For the sake of creating a stylish space, it is important to bring together all the elements of design such as furniture, luxurious finishes, and alluring lighting. And, the recently opened ‘P.F. Chang’s’ offers just that, making your dining experience a memorable one.

After making a mark across the globe with their Pan Asian cuisine, it was last year that the renowned food chain came to Pakistan with their first branch opening in Lahore. And finally it has opened its doors for Karachi denizens. The restaurant chain, named after Paul Fleming and Philip Chiang, was founded in 1993. It is the first internationally recognised multi-unit dining restaurant concept that honours and celebrates the 2,000-year-old tradition of ‘wok cooking’ as the focus of the guest experience. Today, P.F. Chang has more than 300 restaurants around the world including 25 countries and several United States airports.

Located in Clifton, Karachi, the extensive outlet is spread over a two-storey space and you are welcomed by two giant horses that are installed on each side of the entryway of the upscale restaurant. As soon as you enter the place, you are bound to get blown away with the bold yet tasteful use of royal blue and green along with hints of beige, and maroon.

As far as the interior design is concerned, it is designed on contemporary lines with a touch of vintage elements. A lot of blue has been used while doing up the place; even the huge paintings with Chinese scriptures, which adorn the walls of the bistro, have various shades of blue that give a lively feel. As for the flooring simple grey tiles have been used so as to keep the emphasis on the vivid colours of the furniture. Wooden tables and chairs in contrasting hues of green, blue and beige have been placed strategically allowing enough space to move around. Also, comfortable sofa seatings and traditional elements such as Chinese vases give the place an energetic and welcoming vibe.

Any interior design is incomplete without proper lighting. It is an important element of any interior design and special emphasis has been given to it while doing up the place mainly because it contributes to the functionality, mood and atmosphere of any space. The spacious interior has hanging lamps as well as mounted lighting fixtures - that look like kites - on the wall. In short, each and every detail has injected energy and vibrancy to the surroundings.

Coming to the best part, the food! P.F. Chang’s a la carte menu offers a variety of handcrafted signature dishes including Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Mongolian Beef, Dynamite Shrimps, Chang’s Spicy Chicken, Cheng-du Lamb in addition to a wide variety of handmade Sushi and Dim Sum items. The eatery also has Pastry Lab that offers a variety of sweet treats including the signature Great Wall of Chocolate and Banana Spring Rolls.

What more do you want? If you are planning to experience fine dining than this is where you should head to!