Perhaps no neighborhood in Greater Phoenix is better suited for Eater’s Triangle than this one in Tempe, a near-campus noodle nexus neatly cut into a triangle by hypotenuse-like Terrace Road.
The Rules
1. Assemble 6-8 people. Visit the restaurants in order.
2. Always order one egg roll to split, as a benchmark, along with a noodle entrée.
3. At the conclusion of the crawl, vote for Best Egg Roll and Best Overall.
Dragon Flame
Specializing in the cumin-forward cooking of China’s northern Dongbei region, chef-owner Kun Mao ladles out sinus-obliterating delights like Dragon Hot Soup: crab, chicken and meatballs tangled with a fist of rice noodles in a spicy, tangy broth.
909 E. Lemon St., 602-803-3800, dragonflame.us
Pho Fresh Alley & Boba Tea
Come to this spacious Apache Boulevard storefront to get acquainted with bun – that bright, magical Vietnamese symphony of vermicelli rice noodles with grilled proteins, cilantro sprigs and a sprinkling of peanuts in a cooling bath of fish-sauce-kissed sweet vinegar.
1000 E. Apache Blvd, 480-247-9000, phofreshalleyandbobatea.com
Chen Noodle House
Crawl into a bowl of intoxicating Taiwanese-style spicy beef soup with green onion, bok choy and a strafing of toasty peanuts at this tucked-away gem, which otherwise specializes in the alternately spicy and tangy cuisine of the Guizhou region in southeast China.
1043 E. Lemon St., 480-912-2773, chensnoodletempe.com
