If you like a bustling restaurant, ample servings, interesting cuisine and a chance to do some people watching, then a road trip to Nashville may be in order.

But don’t try to go to P.F. Chang’s, on the edge of Vanderbilt University’s campus, without a reservation. My partner and I traveled there on a recent game-day Saturday, and luckily we called ahead.

Not being great basketball followers, we didn’t factor in the pregame traffic in the restaurant. We thought 2 p.m. would be a quiet late lunch – wrong. It was interesting watching all the people stroll to the game or negotiate for tickets on the street.

No matter, it was a great lunch, as were all the meals we’ve had at P.F. Chang’s, regardless of the locale. There’s another location in Cool Springs. Next to that, the nearest spot is on Shelbyville Road in Louisville.

Kind of Asian fusion, the menu features selections for everyone from vegetarian to a meat or seafood lover – mild to spicy. My taste buds run toward spicy foods, while my partner tends to like his food a little on the milder side. Still, we managed to find something in each other’s dishes to share. The tables and even ample booths lend themselves to that sharing atmosphere. Most customers use the slick chopsticks, rather than traditional Western tableware.

We started with the harvest spring rolls – shredded vegetables in delicate wrappers crisply fried and then carefully drained of any oily residue. These are among the many items you can dip in Chang’s &#8220special sauce,” a mixture of soy sauce, spicy mustard, chili oil and perhaps one other sauce a server mixes at your table, according to your taste. I neglected to ask about this combination and its Web site (www.pfchangs.com) doesn’t mention the special sauce.

The sauce is also highly recommended for Chang’s lettuce wraps, a finely chopped mixture of stir-fried chicken and vegetables that you wrap in cool pieces of lettuce.

For my entree, I chose Buddha’s feast, a stir-fried mixture of asparagus (if only parents could cook the vegetable this way – it would be a favorite of all kids), black mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, snap peas and five-spice tofu. You also can get this entree steamed.

While I normally am not a big tofu fan, this was good. It had a firm texture that when chewed, felt substantial to the teeth, rather than the sometimes mushy texture of tofu that in the weak of us sets off a gag reflex. At just $6.95, the large serving with the nutty-tasting brown rice I ordered was a bargain.

Having said that my partner liked milder dishes, I have to qualify that with &#8220most times.” On this trip and a subsequent trip, he selected spicy dishes. The first was beef a la Sichuan, thinly sliced beef cooked twice and served with a mixture of celery, carrots and other veggies. He &#8220confessed” to me this week that on the way to a recent business meeting in Nashville, he squeezed in a visit to Chang’s. This time he tried the hot fish, which was fried catfish, covered with Sichuan sauce made with Kung Pao sauce and other spices and served with a mixture of black beans, carrots, snow peas and onions. He said he would definitely have it again.

We haven’t had anything there we wouldn’t try again. You could make a meal out of the Sichuan-style asparagus or garlic snap peas, both stir-fried – hot all the way through yet still crunchy. The wok-seared lamb is mild and tender, and there was at least one time when four of us were able to share a dessert – the Great Wall of chocolate, six layers of chocolate cake with raspberry sauce.

Even the non-alcoholic drinks are good. Normally I’m a water drinker, but the tea here is worth a splurge for a tightwad. There is a selection of both hot and cold teas.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the hip decor, which includes comfortable seats, lots of colors and a mural over the bar.

Man, I’m hungry now – I may have to make a trip to Nashvegas sooner than I had planned.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro

2525 West End, Nashville •

(615) 329-8901

Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m. to midnight, Fri.-Sat.

Cuisine: Traditional and modern Chinese

Specialties: Mandarin-style wok cooking

Price: $4.95 for a vegetarian side to $18.95 for sea bass. Most dishes are in the $10-$12 range. Lunch prices on many entrees until 4 p.m. daily

Libation situation: Full bar – Smoking in the bar