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| - I love Chanpen. Yes it's a tiny hole in the wall restaurant, yes it unfortunately closes early at 8pm, and yes the parking lot is rather difficult to navigate during peak hours, but I'd gladly brave all of that for their amazing quality of food.
Service is always welcoming and courteous. It really drives the feeling of coziness to a new degree, especially as the restaurant seems to be converted from a house. There are fewer than ten tables inside, but everything is kept clean and organized even when there's a line out the door and endless phone orders for takeout.
Chicken larb:
I've had so many versions of this dish, but I'm always looking for that fragrant lemongrass kick. Chanpen's rendition is delicious, with potent lemongrass, tartness from the lime, and crisp vegetables. The portion is generous, and though it's listed as a salad, I rather think there's more protein than anything else (which I love). The ground chicken is wok-tossed nicely so that it's not dry but still has that smoky hint of wok-fire. When I'm in the mood for a lighter dish, this larb would definitely be my go-to. I have to remember to ask if they have a beef version next time since I think that it might become my favorite dish here.
Chicken and shrimp pad thai:
Though standard offerings at a Thai restaurant, this is hands down the best I've found in Arizona thus far. The noodles are chewy and cooked perfectly so that they're not mushy, the proteins are permeated with flavor without being dry, and the sauciness is perfect. I like my pad thais on the saucier side, and Chanpen's version does not disappoint. The sauce is a great balance of sweet, savory, and vinegary. A lot of Thai restaurant go heavy-handed with the sweetness with not enough tartness to balance it out, so the dishes get sticky and heavy really fast. Chanpen's does not, and I enjoyed the flavor so much that I polished off the entire generous portion and felt stuffed for the rest of the day (worth it).
Royal yellow curry:
Wow the curry here is phenomenal. I'm not exactly sure what makes it so good, but the flavor makes it hard to stop eating. It's creamy, flavorful, and just the right balance of rich and not heavy. Each curry dish comes with a side of steamed rice, which I appreciate since many restaurants require a separate order of rice on the side.
Crab fried rice:
This dish is on the specials board, so I'm not sure if it's always offered. The crab is understandably canned, but the fried rice itself is a testament to great skill with a wok. There are crunchy onions, fresh green onions, and nicely slivered eggs to culminate in a really satisfying plate of fried rice. I had almost half the portion left over, and it tasted just as good -- if not better -- the next day.
To polish off every meal, there is a scoop of complimentary ice cream with the bill. It's a little thing, but a kind gesture I really appreciate. I can't foresee a time when I won't want to come back to Chanpen, and I can't wait to update this review with more tasty dishes in the future.
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