If we were going to be in Japan or some other Asian country when the New Year rang in, here’s what we would do:
Eat noodles.
Noodles symbolize longevity, so we’d eat loooong ones.
But, alas, we aren’t in Asia.
Still, it’s possible to get a noodle fix.
You could make your own (don’t break them — shorter noodles mean shorter life). We’ve even provided a recipe.
Or you can check out a few of the places that know their noodles and do them well:
1 China Pasta House, 430 N. Park Ave., 623-3334, chinapastahouse.com, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. New Year’s Day.
This nondescript restaurant next to a liquor store and behind a gated patio isn’t fancy. But it is good. Noodles are made from scratch daily and topped with all sorts of goodies, depending on what you’re craving. Our choice may well be pork — it’s suppose to represent prosperity.
2 Dao’s Tai Pan, 446 N. Wilmot Road (722-0055) and 4206 N. First Ave. (888-2200), daostaipans.com, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. New Year’s Day.
We are partial to the pho — rice noodle soup — here. The rich broth is loaded with noodles, scallions and basil, and you have a big choice of add-ons, such as steak, tripe or tofu.
3 Miss Saigon, 1072 N. Campbell Ave. (320-9511), 8225 N. Courtney Paige Way, Marana (579-8889), 250 S. Craycroft Road (269-6899), 47 N. Sixth Ave. (884-4778), 4650 W. Ina Road (572-6560). Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. New Year’s Day.
Speaking of pho, you can’t beat it at Miss Saigon. The savory broth is loaded with long rice noodles and choices that range from tofu to beef. We indulge even when it isn’t New Year’s Day.
4 Vina Vietnamese Street Food, 4230 N. Oracle Road, 270-7779. Open noon-7 p.m. New Year’s Day.
Vina Baguette gained a following as a food truck, so when owner/chef Linh Nguyen opened this brick-and-mortar restaurant, he had ready-made fans. You can get succulent pho here, but it’s the pad Thai that we often crave. The rice noodles are tossed in a sauce that is a little bit sweet, a little bit sour, and topped with your choice of items. We like the lemongrass chicken, ourselves.
5 Yoshimatsu, 2741 N. Campbell Ave., 320-1574, yoshimatsuaz.com. Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. New Year’s Day.
Yoshimatsu used to have a sprawling restaurant across the street. This is much smaller. But just as good. The ramen can be made with a chicken, mushroom or vegetarian broth. Whichever you choose for the noodle soup, you’ll find it loaded with lots of other delectables. And remember this: It’s polite to slurp your noodles in Japan. Slurp away — you don’t want to be rude now, do you?
