25 Oct 12th–Oct 18th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | cONTeNTs | feeDBacK | OPiNiON | NeWs | feaTuRe | NighT+Day | culTuRe | film | cafe | music | Mandi House 1639 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe It’s hard to miss Mandi House. The bright blue stuccoed building beckons from the street. Inside, the halal restaurant serves comforting Middle Eastern cuisine – high- lighting specifically Yemeni recipes. Warm spices offer depth to the meat and rice dishes among its entrees, which come on massive platters, often accompanied by garlicky yogurt and a chile sauce made with tomatoes and jalapenos that has bite. Both add acidity and brightness to these stick-to-your-ribs meals. The restaurant offers takeout and dine-in service, with options to sit inside the dining room or on comfortable floor seating areas. Old Town Taste 1845 E. Broadway Road, Tempe Though this strip mall Chinese restaurant offers food from a few regions of the country, most of its greatest hits are Sichuan. These include twice-cooked pork spotlighting strips of belly that melt in delicate puffs of meat and carried into fragrant, beautiful territory by ample leeks. Another absolute instant classic is the Chongqing-style chicken, a pile of crisp- fried chicken charged with mouth- numbing Sichuan peppercorns. At Old Town Taste, you’ll find standout fried fish, thoughtfully prepared soups and top-notch Ma Po tofu brimming with soul and spice. Bring a group of friends and grab a table with a Lazy Susan, perfect for spinning as you taste your way across the menu. Peppermill 7660 S. McClintock Drive #104, Tempe The Peppermill is a perfect example of how metro Phoenix gems can be hidden in unsuspecting strip malls. From the outside, this joint looks like the rest of its neighbors, including a dry cleaner and a UPS store. But inside, the chefs are doing some seri- ously outstanding work. The narrow space includes a high-top bar, one row of tables and a row of booths. An open kitchen spans the length of the space, giving customers a first-row seat to the action. Flames periodi- cally shoot up to kiss giant steaks and grilled veggies. The Peppermill technically is a steakhouse, but it surely isn’t the crusty kind. The steak frites and a massive, juicy burger come with thick-cut, piping hot crispy potato wedges. A grilled half- chicken is served with a rich, velvety lemon butter sauce. Mussels steamed in a red curry coconut broth are amped up with a hearty portion of ground pork. Duck confit is folded, along with sweet corn and goat cheese, into a puff pastry pop-tart. Wash it all down with a top-notch cocktail, a local or imported draft beer or a strong pour of wine. The plates are huge, and there is a $10 charge to split an entree, so bring a big appetite and prepare to leave stuffed and happy. Tampopo Ramen 3223 S. McClintock Dr., Tempe Tampopo Ramen continues to be one of our favorite spots in the Valley for ramen. The restaurant hails itself as Arizona’s original joint for Hakata ramen — the dish often made with pork bone broth, wheat noodles, thin slices of pork, scallions, mushrooms and a soft-boiled egg. Tampopo’s Tonkotsu stays true to tradition with a rich broth, wild mushrooms and housemade noodles. Additional ramen offerings include spicy miso, seafood and curry versions, which you can further customize with additional toppings, including fried chicken, seaweed and roe. While ramen is the star at Tampopo, its menu also includes rice dishes and standout starters ranging from cucumber and seaweed salads to braised pork belly and takoyaki. Chongqing style spicy chicken at Old Town Taste. (Photo by Jackie Mercandetti) At Mandi House, the entrees are served on large platters with rice and multiple sauces. (Photo by Sara Crocker) Tempe’s Top 10 from p 23
