New Lettuce Wraps Champion

I think the first time I had lettuce wraps was at a P.F. Chang's, probably a few years ago when that chain was new and still kinda cool.

Yesterday, I was invited to dinner at the P.F. Chang's in the Pru. We ordered vegetarian lettuce wraps to start. Oddly enough, for the second time in a row at that particular P.F. Chang's (dating back many months) we were served the regular chicken lettuce wraps. Good thing I asked, as the vegetarian among us (Karin) probably didn't want to chow on Foghorn Leghorn.

So the server didn't charge us for the chicken lettuce wraps and shortly thereafter brought the vegetarian ones.

I sampled both types of lettuce wraps and found myself wishing I was elsewhere. They weren't bad, but there's a new lettuce wraps champion in town.

Boston Beer Garden in Southie.

I must say...I thought the lettuce wraps were always a P.F. Chang's highlight, but after tasting the lettuce wraps at Boston Beer Garden, P.F.'s are quite inferior.

Maybe it's the sauces at Boston Beer Garden's version (chili sauce and peanut sauce). Or the portion size (huge). Or the actual iceberg lettuce used (far larger with a deeper cup). Or simply the overall package. Regardless, BBG's lettuce wraps are consistently delicious.

Since the owners of Boston Beer Garden have a few other places around town, all with strikingly similar menus, I would imagine that the lettuce wraps recipe is similar among all of the locations within their restaurant group. This particular dish is probably an afterthought for them, but it's definitely a winner.