While I travel I am always looking for solid Asian food. It sadly is not as easy as you'd think. Maybe it's because I am a north easterner and have preferences based on that locale...whatever it's the way I think!
Man Zhou was a great find. Simple and clean, filled with all types of people and a friendly staff.
I had two dishes. First was a cold bean curd appetizer. I've never had it this way, only steamed wrapped around a delicious pork and shrimp dim sum dish but this was surprising. It was firm to the bite. There was a light marinade on it with a few soy beans and veggies. I dipped it into chili oil and loved the texture and flavor.
Then I had what I came for - a hand puked thick noodle with a very spicy sauce. It was a dry noodle dish with house special Sa Te sauce! Wow! So many flavors, sort of reminded me of a peanut sauce but way kicked up. It was noodles, cilantro and sauce. Period. But so good. The noodles were the star, my choice was the thick ones. Chewy and firm with a great chew to them.
All together it was 11 bucks with hot tea and water.
I will be in Tempe for work often and will definitely head back there.