Here's The Early Buzz For Peter Chang in Arlington

Much-acclaimed chef Peter Chang's new restaurant in Arlington opened to big lines and a solid D.C. fan base. But now that it's been open for over two weeks, what are the early bloggers, Yelpers and online chatters saying about Chang's D.C. area outpost? Here's a selection of early online reviews:

The Real Deal News: Peter Chang in Arlington already has 35 Yelp reviews and is trending toward 3.5 stars. Yelper Wendy W. writes, "If you are looking for authentic Chinese food from the Sichuan region, Peter Chang delivers. This is the real deal guys, take it from someone who was fortunate enough to live, breathe, and eat in Flushing for 2 years." [Yelp]

A Lot of Kinks To Work Out News: Yelper Alexis K. is a Richmond Peter Chang fan, but she wasn't impressed with this location. She writes, "Peter Chang hasn't even been open for a month, so it pains me to give them a 2-star rating. I also love the Richmond location, and was hoping for a similar experience. However, this location has a lot of kinks to work out with both the service and the food." [Yelp]

The Long Wait Was Worth It News: Yelper R.G. had the opposite experience, writing,"In the end, the wait was long (but avoidable, if you can figure out how to make a reservation, or just get there about 90 minutes after they open, when tables should be turning over), but entirely worth it. The service was a bit harried, but that will take care of itself. The food was every bit what we expected, and then some — actually better, in my opinion, than the Williamsburg location." [Yelp]

Delicious, Authentic Cooking News: Writer Carol Joynt describes her experience in a blog post, writing, "Chang just opened in Arlington, and I made a beeline there in the first week. Fans lined up outside for as long as two hours to get a table. It lived up to all the cult hype. Delicious, authentic cooking." [CJ]

Best Meal Ever News: @YR_AlyssaDC tweets "For the record Peter Chang's was the best meal I have ever had. Get reservations!" [Twitter]

Instantly The Best Chinese In DC News: On Foursquare, Ted Frank writes,"Instantly the best Chinese in DC. Bamboo fish, grandma's noodles, dry-hot-pot beef." [FS]

No Sweet and Sour Chicken News: Sher S. writes on Yelp, "This is not yo mama's Chinese-American food place. No sweet and sour chicken (though there is a small kids menu.) i'm totally cool with that -- it is Szechuan, for those who are interested. But those who like things like Chow Mein and Crab Rangoon will be pissed when they realize those sorts of things are not on the menu." [Yelp]

The Entree Size News: Yelper C.W.says the entrees are really big. Prepare to take home leftovers. "To clarify on entrees — the prices may seem bit high in absolute terms upon first reading, but while it is unstated, the portioning is really designed for family-style service. Each entree is a LOT of food, probably 1.5-2x what one would normally expect for an entree portion. In order to really do this place right, it would be optimal to come with a group of 6+ and order a number of dishes to share. Almost every couple and family was leaving with leftovers — not at all a bad thing. I think part of my strategy next time might be to just order a couple extra dishes to take home." [Yelp]

The Rave News: On Don Rockwell, forum poster Simon wrote: "I had lunch at the restaurant on Thursday and Friday and was told both days that PC was in the kitchen. And it showed. Subtle & complex flavors, expert modulation of heat, & impeccable seasoning in everything I ordered: dry fried eggplant, bamboo flounder fish, cilantro flounder fish rolls, and house special flounder fish filet (#34). I've never had Chinese cooking with this much finesse here in the States." [DR]

The Not Getting It News: But the next poster on Don Rockwell, The Doctor, writes, "I went on Friday night and Peter Chang was on the premises. It was definitely one of my better Chinese dining experiences in the DC area (not too difficult), but I can’t say I was enlightened as to why this cooking has a cult following. We had no issues with the service." [DR]