Shaanxi Garden serves up great traditional noodles

Nestled into Mesa’s Asian market district, Shaanxi Garden specializes in handmade noodles, barbecue, and other authentic Chinese cuisines. Three guests and chef Mark Tarbell visited the restaurant whose dishes take inspiration from the Shaanxi Province in China, which is famous for its over three-foot-long noodles they call biangbiang noodles.

Shaanxi Garden is decorated with traditional furniture, art and statues imported directly from China. which co-owner Wanying Cheng says adds to the atmosphere.

“One of our goals is to have our diners immersed in our culture. That’s why we built this restaurant, we want people to be impressed by the details we have here. When people step into the restaurant, they feel like they were transported back to China.”

Justin Neal, assistant director of finance for Arizona PBS, recommended Shaanxi Garden. He said after living in China for six months, the restaurant was as close to authentic as he could find in Arizona.

“The crispy chicken was so juicy, it was the perfect amount of salt not too salty. The skin was a thin layer of crispiness that can just break.”

Joanna Benton, senior membership coordinator for Arizona PBS, followed the recommendation of a waitress who suggested a tofu dish that she said was simply delicious.

“You can taste the garlic, you can taste the ginger and the pepper kind of tingled on your tongue. It was delicious.”

Shaanxi Garden continues to be a favorite when it comes to flavorful hearty dishes. It is located south of Dobson and University in Mesa.