By Timothy Aldinger
Authentic Vietnamese cuisine is easily available at all price levels in Mesa.
Mesa is a city located in the East Valley area 20 miles east of
Phoenix, Arizona. With 463,552 people, it is the third largest city in Arizona and the thirty-eighth largest city in the
United States (as of the July 2008 U.S. Census estimate). Mesa has a substantial Vietnamese population, and authentic Vietnamese cuisine is easily available at all price levels.
Dragonfly Vietnamese Kitchen
Mike Nguyen is the proprietor of the Dragonfly Vietnamese Kitchen, located in the Asian-centric area of west Mesa on Dobson near Southern Avenue. It is located in a plaza with Hodori (Korean restaurant), Best Hong Kong Dining and the Asiana Market. Nguyen's parents were the third generation of a restaurant family in southern Vietnam, and Nguyen has combined this background with his experience in American restaurants.
Dragonfly specializes in the traditional styles of southern Vietnamese cuisine, which are less influenced by China than the typical Hanoi styles. The restaurant offers a wide variety of appetizers, salads, soups, noodle and rice dishes, as well a a full bar with a good selection of Asian beers and wines.
Dragonfly Vietnamese Kitchen
1116 South Dobson Road
Mesa, AZ 85202
480-464-1455
azdragonfly.com
Pho Ao Sen Vietnamese Eatery
Pho Ao Sen describes itself as a modern Vietnamese eatery that embraces traditional Vietnamese cuisine while adopting "the new age of contemporary flair" and an "edgy and fresh dining experience." Entrees are moderately-priced with an extensive selection of appetizers, desserts, teas and juices. The Mesa establishment is based on the thriving original Pho Ao Sen that is a destination spot for culinary adventurers in the Bay Area of California. Pho Ao Sen is open for breakfast every day at 10 a.m.
Pho Ao Sen Vietnamese Eatery
1955 West Baseline Road
Mesa, AZ 85202
480-755-8700
phoaosen.com
BlueMoon Vietnamese Kitchen
BlueMoon Vietnamese Kitchen is casually-priced downtown eatery that opens early (9 a.m.) every day of the week. The house specialties are variations of pho, as well as huu tieu, hot pot and stir fry items. BlueMoon offers a family-friendly atmosphere with well-described menu items and accessible family combination specials. The signature promotion is 50 percent off pho and the restaurant is popular with both Asian and non-Asian clientele.
BlueMoon Vietnamese Kitchen
1933 West Main Street
Mesa, AZ 85201
480-733-7771
bluemoonaz.com
Mekong Plaza
The Mekong Plaza is a 100,000 square foot Asian dining and shopping complex at the southwest corner of Dobson and Main. The indoor mall opened in late 2008, and is home to 15 businesses (primarily Vietnamese) including the 38,000 square-foot Mekong Supermarket. Mekong Plaza features all varieties of Asian restaurants, including three casual Vietnamese restaurants.
Com Tam Thuan Kieu Restaurant features a homey atmosphere with friendly bilingual servers, flower arrangements and large portion sizes. The specialty is a large selection of com tam dishes with broken rice and most every variety of meat.
UnPHOgettable Restaurant, as the name suggests, focuses on Vietnamese pho, with more than 30 meal-in-a-bowl soups. Selections range from shrimp and crab to pork hock, beef and tripe.
MyLynn Cafe features "diamond"-plated metal panel walls, glass lamps and flat-screen TVs for nightly karaoke. The specialties include variations of Kobe beef and various hot pots, ranging from goat meat to hot and sour seafood. MyLynn also features a wide variety of traditional and modern Vietnamese beverages and unique smoothies. A full bar is available, with a good selection of Asian beers and wines.
Mekong Plaza
66 South Dobson Road
Mesa, AZ 85202
480-363-9009
mekongplaza.com
Com Tam Thuan Kieu Restaurant
480-668-5959
UnPHOgettable Restaurant
480-835-2298
MyLynn Cafe
480-844-0808
Resources
About the Author:
Timothy Aldinger brings 20 years of experience as an instructional design consultant and corporate training strategist in the automotive, environmental, health and insurance industries. His professional writings have been published by Ford Motor Company, Chrysler Corporation, General Motors, Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan and many other major corporations. Aldinger received his Bachelor of Arts in political theory from Michigan State University.
Photo Credits:
food image by cherie from
Fotolia.com
