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| - (Lyrics - Sebastian (The Little Mermaid) - Kiss the Girl)
Steam Rice Plates!
Egg Rolls!
Words!
There you see it
Sitting there across the desert
It doesn't have a lot to serve
But there's something about Pho
And you don't know why
But you're dying to try
You wanna taste the Tea Lite Café...
(Sebastian from the Little Mermaid - Kiss the Girl)
Tea Lite Café is nestle in the Scottsdale plaza off Scottsdale Road and the 101; west of the Harkin's Theater. This little gem serves up traditional Vietnamese cuisine on the North side of Scottsdale, which was rare back in the early 2000s when I moved to Phoenix. Vietnamese food was hard to find back then, but now it's starting to pop up everywhere since Pho is fast becoming a popular dish.
When I first visited this joint back in the early 2000s, they had their Pho called beef Noodle Soup instead. I gather it was a way to better explain to the public what Pho really was. Now it's back to Pho and it taste much better too! Yah! Aside from Pho, Tea Lite Café serves up some of my classic favorites Bun Mi sandiwhced, vermicelli bowls, and steam rice plates. Voted best sandwich by Phoenix Magazine back in 2010, their specialty sandwiches, also know as Bun Mi, will not disappoint.
Moreover, it is not to imply the rest of their dishes will disappoint, cause I definitely recommend their vermicelli bowls with your choice of meats; beef, chicken, or pork. Also known as, Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio, it comes along with egg rolls and served a top of fresh carrots, cucumbers, bean sprouts and cilantros. One thing I love about Vietnamese cuisine is the utilization of fresh vegetables and seasonings like cilantro giving it a distinctive scent. Vietnam is heavily Buddhist thus having a strong vegetarian background and the usage of vegetables along with their cuisine.
I'm not sure who the Chef is, but she seemed very friendly and came out to speak to the patrons. Some of the regulars seem to enjoy her company a lot. The waiter was very stiff and seemed like he was mad all the time - reminded me of my dad haha! (Sorry pops!) The place itself is cute and tiny. It was somewhat cluttered, but I enjoy that closeness to be able to see and speak to other patrons. - Enjoy!
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