Don’t feel like cooking? Order some kung pao chicken or fried rice from these Tempe mainstays.
Old Town Taste
This restaurant has dual specialties: brothy, offal-centric Shandong cuisine and spicy, garlicky, pungent Sichuan cooking. Also special: cold appetizers like chopped green beans with pickled vegetables and cumin-kissed fried lamb.
1845 E. Broadway Rd., 480-702-7101
Kungfu Kitchen
This eatery eschews the Cantonese-influenced dishes most familiar to Americans, opting for more hearty, often pickled fare less dependent on rice in favor of noodles, dumplings and even bread.
1250 E. Apache Blvd., 480-557-888, chouskitchen.com
Dragon Flame Chinese Grill
Northern Chinese barbecue is the specialty at this permanently parked food truck, and much of the cuisine is pretty spicy. But owner Kun Mao can tone it down upon request, with slam-dunk regional gems like shimeji mushrooms wrapped in bacon.
1125 S. Terrace Rd., 602-881-2284, dragonflame.us
