As I’d found myself eating at this place a lot recently (4 times over the last week or so), I thought that I’d share with you one of my favorite little places to go in Central Phoenix, Cherryblossom Noodle Cafe, for this week’s Foodie Friday… From the second you enter the door, it’s pretty obvious that Cherryblossom isn’t exactly your usual Japanese restaurant. With the works of Chagall adorning the walls right next to the iconic Japanese beckoning cat statue (aka Maneki Neko), the interior decor definitely alludes to the nature of the food served within its walls. Though firmly rooted in traditional Japanese cuisine, Cherryblossom also has select offerings from across Asia and Europe as well. I wouldn’t exactly call it fusion cuisine… more like a meeting of traditions (with some exceptions, of course).

As it’s name would suggest, Cherryblossom is first and foremost a noodle house. With a wide range of noodles dishes, Cherryblossom definitely does not disappoint in this category. From Japanese noodle soups to stir-fried noodles to Italian pasta, there are more than enough options to suit an array of different palettes. There’s even a tofu noodle option for those trying to keep low carb or gluten-free. In addition to the many noodle dishes available, Cherryblossom also serves a wide range of other choices as well. Sushi, rice dishes, salads and assorted tempura are all on the menu to tempt your taste buds.

One of my usual go-to favorites is the Vege-Ten noodle soup. Served up in a large bowl, it’s a hearty dish featuring either udon (thick wheat) or soba (thin buckwheat) noodles (I’ll get either depending on my mood) in a miso soup with an assortment of vegetable tempura placed on top. Although this is usually filling enough for a complete meal unto itself (just because I’m still a big sushi lover even after going vegetarian), I’ll also frequently get a vegetable roll (avocado, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, Inari tofu, and kaiware) to accompany my hearty bowl of tastiness… But no matter what you end up ordering, I doubt that you’ll be going away unsatisfied.

So a small confession… While writing this post, I totally got an urge to try one of Cherryblossom’s desserts. And since I’m always so full from the meals that I get there, I’ve never had the opportunity to try one of the pretty desserts inside the glass case. So for just you (and my tummy), I swung out to get a piece of their green tea mousse cake (something that I had been admiring the last couple of times that I had been in)… Although you may think that this cake might be something akin to a typical European chocolate mousse cake, it’s most definitely an Asian-style dessert. Light with delicate and subtle flavors, this cake features a thick layer of green tea mousse sandwiched between a thin base of white cake and a layer of red bean paste on top and is served with some fresh berries alongside. Like many Asian desserts, it’s not what the typical American palette would consider sweet. It’s actually very much like the kinds of cakes that I grew up eating from Chinatown in LA… Maybe not everybody’s cup of tea, but I found it pretty good.

So long story short… If you find yourself hungry (or even just a little peckish) in the Central Phoenix area, I would highly suggest stopping into Cherryblossom Noodle Cafe. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.