East Valley
Master Jianbing
Opened: May 2023
Wolfed down by hungry working stiffs on the streets of Beijing and Guangzhou, jianbing is China’s version of a crêpe. Made from wheat and bean flours, and cooked on a wide, flat drum, they’re thin and chewy, with a leathery toughness you probably wouldn’t prize in a brunch crêpe from LGO – but that extra sturdiness is probably necessary, given all the delicious stuff crammed inside them at this new lunch counter at Mesa’s Mekong Plaza. Filigreed with a fried egg and glazed with a tangy plum sauce, the “bing” come in 30-odd varieties, from barbecue pork ($10, smoky and tender) to the signature roasted duck and sausage ($16), all served as burrito-style wraps with a side of fries. Pay special attention to the “Rice Jianbing” section, in which each wrap includes a savory, crispy doughnut called fan tuan that provides a pleasant textural change of pace. There are mushroom bing ($10), spicy crawfish bing ($13) and plenty else to sample as you acquaint yourself with this one-of-a-kind (in Phoenix, anyway) menu.
Wild Card: Don’t be afraid of the bacon meat floss bing ($11), and certainly don’t try to floss with it – “meat floss” is a euphemism for bak hu, pork that’s been dried and teased into a cotton-like jerky.
66 S. Dobson Rd., Mesa, 480-834-2099
