In the early aughts San Jose had an inspiring range of restaurants: Thai, Vietnamese. Indian. Dosas as big as your head. Kheer! The exception was Chinese, at least Veg Chinese.
For that reason, Sara and I were actually glad when a P.F. Chang’s opened downtown, about six blocks from our apartment. It wasn’t in a mall, the spring rolls and tofu were up to par, and the chain-restaurant vibe was comparatively subtle. The exception was the dessert menu, which couldn’t resist a geewhiz offering: The Great Wall of Chocolate, a staple to this day.
But hey, if you preferred lighter fare, the Tiananmen Lemon Squares were always reliable.