Pei Wei - first time dining experience

Yesterday I was forced out of my "comfort zone." And, that's not altogether a bad thing, as it turned out.

Anyway, yet another corner store near my office has been gobbled up by one of those cancerous paycheck advance places. So, I couldn't get a quick sandwich for lunch. Instead, I was left to drive aimlessly along the streets of Orlando until I found the first dining establishment.

As luck would have it, that place was Pei Wei on Colonial Drive.

Now, I had passed this restaurant a hundred times, and heard my friends in Dallas rave about it many more times than that. For some reason, though, I'd never had the inclination to go myself. Until yesterday, that is.

Well, I can report a pleasant surprise. To call Pei Wei a fast food version of PF Chang's does not do it justice. This place is much nicer than the typical fast food place. In fact, I think it's more like a Chipotle. Only, the decor is nicer, and the menu a LOT more diverse.

I ordered the spicy orange chicken and got my own iced tea from the beverage station before grabbing a seat in the welcoming air conditionining of the dining area. Within a few minutes, a server brought my hot meal right to the table.

It was awesome.

A little pricy for a "quick" lunch ($10 with tip).

But, the food was great.

And, I got the chance to expand that whole "comfort zone" I mentioned earlier.