Best Cantonese Noodles
Asian Café Express
Don’t let the spare interior or nondescript storefront fool you. Asian Café Express is consistently ranked the best Cantonese/Hong Kong style eatery in the Valley. The menu is massive, so bring an appetite and home in on our preferred edibles: noodle dishes, like chow fun with black mushrooms or egg noodle soup with Chinese pickles and shredded pork. Post-prandial waddling is optional.
1911 W. Main St., Mesa, 480-668-5910, asiancafeexpress.com
Best New Pan-Asian Restaurant
Komodo Asian Fusion
You’ll find Thai and Vietnamese staples such as pad kra pao and pho – plus surprisingly legit Latin desserts like strawberry flan – at this hole-in-the-wall restaurant. The small takeout spot’s mascot is a rather menacing-looking red Komodo dragon – a species native to Indonesia, interestingly. Cultural identity crisis aside, Komodo’s grub is quick, affordable, fresh and delicious – and a go-to for pseudo-Sunnyslopers in the know.
7810 N. 12th St., Phoenix, 480-351-9781, komodoasianfusion.com
Most Iconic Sushi Bite
Oyster Shooter at Hana Japanese Eatery
Of all the beloved culinary jewels fashioned by James Beard Award semi-finalist Lori Hashimoto, her version of this San Francisco gold miner staple might be our favorite. Embellished with quail egg, ikura, ponzu, green onions and Sriracha, it’s a roaring bite that excites your taste buds into an all-too-brief frenzy. Our suggestion: Order another.
5524 N. Seventh Ave., 602-973-1238, hanajapaneseeatery.com
Best Japanese-Italian Fusion
Cherry Blossom Noodle Café
Notwithstanding the ravages of inflation, a memorable meal for two can still be found in the Valley for under $50 at Cherry Blossom. Plates of affordable starchy goodness await: Japanese classics like zaru soba (cold buckwheat noodles), Italian faves such as pasta arrabbiata, and fusion dishes like ika mentai, spaghetti tossed in cod roe and squid. Rice dishes and bento boxes are also available, with Kirin beer on tap. For a first or umpteenth date, it’s perfect for the Biden economy.
914 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, 602-248-9090, cherryblossom-az.com
Best Hole-in-the-Wall (Literally) Chinese
Liyuen Chinese Food
Known to South-Central locals as the “Westside Window,” this to-go-only mom-and-pop serves Chinese food so delectable you won’t mind standing in scorching summer temps to get your fix – from a window with bars on it. No seats. No tables. The promise of sinking your teeth into a glistening, juicy, crisp jalapeño wing or taking a scrumptious chomp of spicy fried rice will provide all the mental AC you need. For literal AC, there’s your car. Bring plenty of napkins.
1602 S. Seventh Ave., Phoenix, 602-238-9688, liyuen-phoenix.com
Best Japanese Restaurant Reboot
Shimogamo
Who says millennials and Boomers can’t collaborate? Last year, owners Yoshio and Sanae Otomo turned their traditional Japanese restaurant over to their daughter Mika (a sommelier) and her husband Daisuke Itagaki (a former Tokyo chef), who transformed the place into Chandler’s hottest destination for cool cocktails, rare fish, modern takes on traditional Japanese dishes and a terrific sake selection.
2051 W. Warner Rd., Chandler, 480-899-7191, shimogamoaz.com
Best Under-the Radar Sushi Bar
Patio 54
All the trappings of a ho-hum New American haunt can be found at this casual High Street hangout: garage-style window, leather banquettes, wraparound bar. However, Patio 54 – which does have a prime patio for people-watching – recently revised its menu and quietly debuted a sleek sushi bar. While it’s certainly no surprise the new menu features a cheese board and a few flatbreads, fresh, made-to-order tataki, sashimi, and classic and specialty rolls using antioxidant-rich black rice are a welcome revelation.
5415 E. High St., Phoenix, 480-687-8026, patio54az.com
Best Regional Thai
Glai Baan
2333 E. Osborn Rd, Phoenix, 602-595-5881, glaibaanaz.com
- Chef-owner Cat Bunnag captivates with Bangkok street food and dishes from Thailand’s rarely visited Isan region near Laos.
- Signature dish: mackerel fried rice, with her singular, roast-like beef panang a close second.
- Barman Max Berlin deserves a Nobel prize for successfully mating fish sauce with a cucumber martini.
Lom Wong
218 E. Portland St., Phoenix, 602-675-0522, lomwongaz.com
- Owners Alex and Yotaka “Sunny” Martin evangelize for the cuisine of Chiang Rai in the north and Moklen seafaring communities in the south.
- Signature dish: Kaeng Phet Charinda, an unusually light, brothy beef curry dish made with hand-pounded chile and succulent makheua eggplant.
- The Martins jointly scored a 2023 James Beard Award nomination. Power couple!
