North County residents can now get a taste of P.F. Chang's with a shorter drive, faster service and a lighter bill.

The national chain of gourmet Chinese restaurants opened a sister diner, Pei Wei (pronounced pay-way), in Encinitas about five years ago and this year plans to rapidly expand the number of the fast-casual eateries around the country. On Jan. 8, a Pei Wei Asian Diner opened at the 4S Commons Shopping Center in 4S Ranch, and it already has found some loyalty in the new community west of Rancho Bernardo.

""The last two weeks, we've seen so many repeat guests," said diner manager Diana Huang.

P.F. Chang's was founded in 1993 and is known for servers who guide customers through the menu, make suggestions to go with their meal, and then create custom sauces at tableside.

At first glance, Pei Wei is a sharp contrast from P.F. Chang's. Diners stand at the front counter and order from a menu, help themselves to beverages and take a seat. Orders are brought to the table, but Huang said the diner prefers to say the food is delivered by the restaurant's support staff, not servers.

"P.F. Chang's is really high-end," she said. "Our concept is more fast-casual."

The food, however, does have much in common with its parent restaurant, she said. About 40 percent of the Pei Wei menu is from P.F. Chang's. A customer favorite, the appetizer Minced Chicken With Cool Lettuce Wraps ($6.75), is served with shiitake mushrooms, water chestnut, scallion and spicy soy, and also is found on the P.F. Chang's menu.

Other appetizers are edamame (salted soybeans in the pod) for $3.25, Crab Wontons (four for $3.95, eight for $6.95) and Pei Wei Spring Rolls (two for $3.95, six for $6.95).

The diner serves three salads. Asian Chopped Chicken Salad and Pei Wei Spicy Chicken Salad are $7.75, and Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls (shredded chicken, lettuce, mint, carrot, peanuts, lime vinaigrette and rice noodles wrapped in rice paper) are $6.75.

All noodle and rice bowls are $6.75 and come with a choice of chicken, beef, pork or vegetables and tofu. Shrimp or scallops are an additional $1.

Sabo Miso Bowls come with red miso sauce, baby spinach, shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, ginger, garlic, scallion and buckwheat noodles. Teriyaki Bowls are served with onion, cabbage, carrot, spinach, scallion, toasted sesame seeds, and white or brown steamed rice.

Other noodle dishes include Pad Thai, Lo Mein Noodle and Japanese Udon Noodles. Fried Rice is served with soy sauce, scallion, egg, minced red bell pepper, broccoli, carrot and white and brown rice.

Entrees are priced between $6.95 and $9 and come with a choice of vegetables and tofu, beef, chicken, pork, shrimp or scallops.

Dishes include Spicy Korean, with a Korean hot pepper sauce, garlic, white mushroom, onion, carrot, long beans and toasted sesame seeds. Mongolians are served with sweet garlic soy sauce, scallion and white mushroom, and Asian Coconut Curry is served with green curry coconut sauce, ginger, Thai basil, red bell pepper, onion and long beans.

Three entrees, Teriyaki, Honey Seared and Lo Mein, are served in children's portions for $3.45.

Workers arrive at 8 a.m. to begin preparing food, three hours before the diner opens, Huang said. "We prepare all the vegetables, all the meat, fresh in the morning," she said. "Only shrimp and crab are frozen. Our produce is delivered daily."

The restaurant's floors are painted red, a good-luck color in China, she said. A replica of a temple bell on a counter and photos of life in China add to the atmosphere.

"This is a very American style, but it's influenced a lot by Asian styles," she said.

The 4S Ranch Pei Wei is number 105 in the chain. Another Pei Wei is scheduled to open in San Marcos in September. The company also has plans to open restaurants in Chula Vista and Mission Valley this year.

Because the restaurant is in a new mall, people are still calling for directions, Huang said. Its address is on Craftsman Way, a street not on most current maps.

Pei Wei Asian Diner is at 4S Commons Town Center, at Rancho Bernardo and Dove Canyon roads.

- Contact staff writer Gary Warth at (760) 740-5410 or gwarth@nctimes.com.

NOW SERVING

WHAT: Pei Wei Asian Diner

WHERE: 10562 Craftsman Way, Suite 9A, 4S Commons Shopping Center, 4S Ranch

CALL: (858) 207-2730

HOURS: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun-Thurs; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri-Sat

PRICES: Noodle and rice bowls $6.75, entrees $7.75 to $9