Where to get the best Chinese food in Flagstaff

The Year of the Rabbit begins on Thursday, February 3. Celebrate Chinese New Year with foods considered to be lucky or that symbolize a prosperous new year, Chinese-style. Among the dishes to be on the look out for that are said to bring you luck:

Peking duck and chicken– Symbolizes family unity, togetherness and fidelity.
Noodles – Representing a long life, noodles should be eaten whole. So don’t cut those babies. Just slurp them in whole.
Spring rolls – These symbolize wealth. Why you ask – because their shape is similar to gold bars. At least that’s why they say.
Veggies and fruits – You should eat more of these anyway and they’re considered lucky. Particularly of interest for those seeking fortune – lettuce wraps, tangerines and oranges. Eat up.

Now that you know what you should consider ordering for extra good fortune, here’s a look at some of the places to go in northern Arizona for some of the best Chinese food around.

Golden Dragon
2730 East Lakin Dr (at Steves Blvd), Flagstaff
928-527-0111
Flagstaff’s most upscale Chinese option, the Golden Dragon has recently been remodeled and revamped with a new owner (who used to own Hot Wok Express) and slightly new name. (It was Golden Dragon Bowl). Golden Dragon is a great place to get those lucky noodles! They have two delicious menus. One with classic American Chinese favorites. The other, which they call their “authentic Chinese Cuisine” menu, has more unique offerings. Among the dishes to try here: Hot Chili Oil beef, chicken or pork; beef Chow Fun; Steamed Veggie Dumplings; Szechuan Shrimp; Singapore Curry Noodles; and the House Special Pan-Fried Noodles. But then everything sweet and sour here is sure to please the taste buds too.

Hunan West
1302 Plaza Way, Flagstaff
928-779-2229
A little family-run joint tucked between Planned Parenthood and a dollar store, Hunan West has a friendly staff and some of the best Chinese food in town. The Orange Peel Chicken (which gets in several lucky categories at once) is delicately fried and served in just the right amount of orange sauce. Nothing you’ll find anywhere else in town is quite like this one. Other things to try: Chun Pai Beef, Cashew Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Spicy Broccoli and War Won Ton Soup.

Hot Wok Express
1000 N Humphreys St, Flagstaff (at the far west end of the shopping center)
928-226-1007
A fast food version of Chinese, Hot Wok serves up a quality product even though their eat-in ambience leaves something to be desired. But don’t let that stop you. The food is made fresh and quite tasty. Though the fried stuff can tend to be more greasy than desired there. The Chicken Lo Mein, Moo Goo Gai Pan and Broccoli Beef are can’t fail options. For ultimate convenience, call ahead and swing by the drive up window. Perfect for snowy days! Even if you don’t have a menu in front of you, the folks here will help you find what you want.

Szechuan Chinese Restaurant
1350 W Highway 89A, Ste 21, Sedona
Menu online: szechuansedona.net
Head down to Sedona’s Szechuan if you’re looking for the fancier side of Chinese dining in Northern Arizona. Szechuan is an ornate restaurant with a full menu for every desire. Everything on the menu is well prepared and full of flavor with a presentation and service of equal quality. I particularly recommend the Garlic Green Beans, Orange Chicken, Chicken with Broccoli and Yuan-Yang Flavors.



(This article first ran in Flagstaff Live, also written by me!)

Hunan West in Flagstaff, AZ (includes look at menu)

Hunan West
1302 Plaza Way, Flagstaff
928-779-2229

On the hunt for Chinese food in Flagstaff, which is not known as the place for this variety despite the variety of other good Asian restaurants here, we tried Hunan West on the recommendation of a few Twitter friends.
This typical Chinese restaurant in tucked into a shopping center between Planned Parenthood and The Dollar Store. Yet inside it's homey with several booths and tables packed in and a giant mural of on the wall. We were greeted by a sweet little girl who sat us then returned to pretend feeding her doll at her table. All the servers were friendly and attentive.
Lunch special here are bargain priced in the $5-$6 range, including soup, fried won ton chips, rice and the entree. You can also find what they call their "Super Meal" deal all day for $8.95, which is the same as above plus a soft drink and egg roll and a large selection of entree choices. (See Super Meal menu below).

Chicken Chow Mein lunch special

Among the entrees recommended: Chun Pai Beef, Cashew Chicken, Mongolian Beef, and War Won Ton Soup. I tried the Chicken Chow Mein - a basic dish with nice chunks of breast of chicken and lo mein noodles, though it didn't knock my socks off, it was quality and filling. My husband tried the Orange Peel Chicken, a house specialty - this one is quite tasty with delicately fried chunks of chicken in a flavorful but not over-powering orange sauce. The won ton soup that comes with the entree as an appetizer is excellent. (Though the menu says no soups included on lunch specials on to go orders.) I'm already planning a trip back to try the Spicy Broccoli entree and Moo Goo Gai Pan, two Chinese food favorite of mine.
Hunan West doesn't have to go menus or a website, so below are a few pics (better than nothing) of their lunch menu as well as a scan of their super meal menu: