90 APRIL 6-12, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | which is bolstered by a generous sprinkle of ground Szechuan peppercorns on top, plenty of savory ground pork, and super- silky cubes of soft tofu. Best Szechuan Fried Chicken Noodles Express 703 South Colorado Boulevard 303-736-8818 The name “Noodles Express” really doesn’t do justice to the many dishes this nonde- script Szechuan spot off Colorado Boule- vard does very, very well. If you’re craving carbs, the dan dan noodles are a must-or- der, and veggie-forward options like the eggplant with garlic sauce and pan-fried green beans are winners, too. But those craving the mouth-numbing sensation of Szechuan peppercorns should opt for the chong qing pepper chicken, aka laziji, small chunks of crispy deep-fried chicken loaded with plenty of heat. Best Chinese Condiments Meta Asian Kitchen 3200 Pecos Street 720-269-4778 metaasiankitchen.com Doris Yuen and her husband, chef Ken- neth Wan, launched Meta Asian Kitchen inside Avanti after moving to Denver from the East Coast in 2019. Now Meta is set to “graduate” from the food hall, as they say, and has taken over the kitchen at Honor Farm on Blake Street as Yuen and Han work toward opening their fi rst stand-alone restaurant, called MAKfam, in Baker later this year. But no matter where Meta is or what’s on the menu, one staple we love is the trio of condiments, which come on some dishes and are also regularly available to purchase by the jar. Uncle Tony’s Chili Oil packs a lot of heat, while the soy- and vinegar-heavy dump- ling sauce is a bit gentler on the palate, but the standout is MAK’s XO Chili Sauce, which combines a milder punch with a whole lot of umami fl avor. Best Vietnamese Restaurant Golden Saigon 2648 South Parker Road, Aurora 303-671-7100 goldensaigon.com Golden Saigon has occupied the same strip-mall space in Aurora since 1995, all the while serving up homey Vietnamese staples like pho along with entrees you don’t often find on other Vietnamese restaurant menus — curry, for example. Though owner Mama Le’s daughter, Van Le, admits that Vietnam isn’t known for its curries, Golden Saigon’s version is actually the dish that keeps customers coming back. It’s not a green or red curry such as those found in neighboring Thailand, though. In- stead, it’s made from Indian madras curry powder, coconut milk and lots of lemon- grass, keeping the dish solidly grounded in Vietnamese fl avors. But that’s just one of many reasons to dine at this longtime family-owned establishment. Best Thai Restaurant US Thai Cafe 5228 West 25th Avenue, Edgewater 303-233-3345 usthaicafeco.com Tom kha, larb, green curry, drunken noodles, pineapple fried rice: The menu at US Thai, which has been a favorite in metro Denver since it debuted in 2006, is packed with hits. But what distinguishes the no-frills eatery is that it truly brings the heat. It even of- fers a menu warning Food and Drink continued from page 88 continued on page 92 GETT Y IMAGES
