house-saladP.F. Chang’s Small House Salad

ok so

six ninety five

for lettuce

let that sink in

six dollars and ninety five cents for leaves and a few shreds of carrot

sounds crazy right

i thought so too the first time i saw it

but hear me out

sometimes you go to pf changs

you order the mongolian beef or the kung pao chicken

the plate comes

and its just meat and sauce and maybe some rice

no green anywhere

not even a garnish

so you look at your plate and you feel kinda gross

thats where this little salad comes in

The facts first

price 6.95

calories 110

thats it

110 calories is nothing

your body burns that walking from the car to the front door

so dont buy this thinking youll be full

you wont

buy it because you want something cold and crunchy to break up all that salt and oil

what’s inside

nothing fancy and thats fine

crisp lettuce and mixed greens

shredded carrots

cucumber slices

grape tomatoes cut in half probably

dressing changes by location

some places give you sesame

some give you ginger

both are light both are asian inspired both are way less heavy than their other salads

the asian caesar at pf changs is 330 calories

the thai peanut is 350

those are meals

this is a breather

The real talk about nutrition

let me write it out simple no table no fancy numbers

calories 110

total fat 5 grams

saturated fat 1 gram

cholesterol zero

sodium 200 milligrams

carbs 14 grams

fiber 3 grams

sugar 5 grams

protein 3 grams

but bubby

the dressing changes things

if they put extra dressing calories go up

if youre at a location that uses a different dressing the numbers change

this is an estimate not a promise

three grams of protein is a joke

dont eat this for protein

eat it because you want to feel like you ate something green before your noodles come

Is six ninety five a rip off

look

if youre counting every penny

yes

you can buy a whole bag of salad at the grocery store for that price

you can make this at home for like two dollars

but youre not at home

youre at pf changs

youre paying for someone else to wash the lettuce chop the carrots slice the cucumbers and put it in a bowl without you lifting a finger

for a restaurant starter six ninety five is cheap

its the most affordable salad on their whole menu

compared to the thai peanut at eight ninety five youre saving two dollars

so here is my take

if you want a light side to balance out a heavy entree get it

if youre hungry and this is all youre eating skip it and get something with actual substance

Allergen stuff

the vegetables themselves are safe for almost everyone

the dressing is where problems hide

soy is in most of their dressings

sesame too

some locations put fish sauce in their vinaigrette

some use honey

so if you have allergies dont just read the menu and assume

ask your server

thats what they are there for

if you need something even safer get the edamame or the cucumber salad

those are harder to mess up

How this salad compares to the others

let me break it down simple

small house salad

six ninety five

110 calories

lightest crispest best for balancing rich food

small asian caesar

seven ninety five

330 calories

creamier heavier more like a real salad

small thai peanut

eight ninety five

350 calories

bold peanut flavor almost a meal on its own

if you want to feel like you ate something green without feeling like you ate a garden get the house salad

if youre actually hungry and want a salad that fights back get the thai peanut one

Questions people actually ask me

is this salad filling

and its not supposed to be

110 calories is nothing

your body will burn that walking to the car

this is a palate cleanser not a meal

pair it with something substantial or you will be hungry again in twenty minutes

is it good for vegetarians

yes the vegetables are fine

but ask about the dressing

some locations use fish sauce

dont assume just ask

whats the smartest way to order this

get it as a side to something heavy

kung pao chicken

mongolian beef

fried rice

the salad cuts through the salt and richness

it resets your mouth between bites

thats its job

can i make this at home for cheaper

bubby

of course you can

but youre not paying for leaves

youre paying for someone to bring it to your table while you sit there tired from work

sometimes thats worth six dollars

The stuff I notice that the menu won’t tell you

first time i ordered this salad i thought it would be bigger

it came in a small bowl

i looked at it

then looked at my friend

then looked back at the bowl

i said this is it

he said yeah thats the small house salad

small is right there in the name

i just didnt read

second time i ordered it without dressing

thought i was being healthy

bubby

dont do that

dry lettuce is punishment

pay for the dressing

third time i tried to eat it as my whole meal

i was hungry again before the check came

never again

now i only get it as a side

never as the main event

fourth time i added their chili sauce on top

that was actually good

gave it some heat

try that if you want

fifth time i went with a friend who said why are you paying seven dollars for leaves

i said because i want to

he shook his head

i ate my salad

he ate his spring rolls

we both left happy

Final word

The pf changs small house salad is not trying to change your life

its not the most exciting thing on the menu

its not the best value if youre counting every penny

and it will not fill you up

but

if youre eating a heavy salty rich chinese american meal and you want something cold and crisp to break it up

this salad does exactly that

no more

no less

for six ninety five and 110 calories

its the lightest cheapest simplest green thing in the building

Sometimes that’s all you need