New Gilbert Restaurant Introduces Unique Asian Flavors

Living in the East Valley has gotten all kinds of delicious in the last few months.  There have been so many great new restaurants opening recently and I couldn’t be more delighted. I have lived in Chandler for the last 6 years and have seen some the growth happen. I still make several trips to Central Phoenix and Scottsdale  for work and to visit my favorite spots. I’m delighted to see that there are great spots just down the road. The new Gilbert restaurant, Sobas, is a welcome mix of Asian flavors. This fast-casual location within Gilbert’s Crossroads Towne Center.

The menu is a unique Pan-Asian fusion. You’ll find familiar items like Gyoza, Chicken Skewers, and Pad Thai. You’ll also find some unique item. Case in point: their Bao selection and creative Bowl combinations. One thing that struck be about their menu is that it is accessible to those that may not be familiar with certain items. Some diners that happen upon Sobas may not be familiar with Bao. When they see a Steak & Bleu Bao, it is presenting a familiar flavor combination in an unfamiliar delivery method. The same can be said for their bowls. While kimchi may not be something that everyone visiting has tried, offering it within the set up of the familiar mac and cheese may encourage diners to try something new.

“Sobas offers craveable selections from a broad range of Asian cooking cultures,” said Sobas’ Founder and Co-Owner Berekk Blackwell. “Whether you’re looking for a favorite standby or ready to expand your palate, this is the place.”

The affordable price point of these dishes makes this new Gilbert restaurant an ideal spot to pop in. This is particularly true based on its proximity to local shopping. All the dishes offered are between $6 and $12. They also have some incredible beverage offerings. Love iced tea? Who in the middle of our desert heat doesn’t? You will want to try out their choice of Boba teas.

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When I visited last week, I tried a variety of dishes. I guarantee that I will be back with my family to try the rest of the menu items. So just what did I try out and what did I think?

Pork & Seeds

We were welcomed with this sweet and spicy appetizer and it was a perfect intro to the menu. The dish is a combination of chilled Asian-style pork and a prickly pear hot mustard. The starter also comes with sesame seeds you can dress your bites with. Even though the pork was chilled, there still retained moisture to the meat. The prickly pear hot mustard wasn’t an uncomfortable heat. It provided a moderate spice to match the slight sweetness of the pork. The sesame seeds brought in a contrast in texture. I would definitely order this again.

Boba Teas

Sobas offers a variety of flavors of Boba teas. From black, green, herbal, mint, matcha, chai, milk tea, taro and a flavor of the week. I love iced Chai so I figured I couldn’t go wrong. The Chai was altogether creamy and spiced and I got a little boba with every sip. I would love to try the Matcha on my next visit as some friends tried their version and raved about it.

Yakisoba Stir-Fry

I am always down for anything spicy. I was immediately drawn into the description of the Yakisoba Stir-Fry bowl. The bowl is made up of a base of Yakisoba noodles and then tossed with a spicy teriyaki stir-fry sauce, broccoli, red peppers, onions, snap peas and then topped with fresh jalapenos and green onions. I added some crispy pork belly to mine and was all set. The sneaky heat permeated every bite of the dish. It was tempered, only lightly, by the subtle underlying sweetness of the teriyaki sauce. I managed to save a little to take home to my Mister, who is an even bigger lover of all things spicy that myself. He raved about it and is eager to make a visit soon.

Sriracha Alfredo Bowl

I also wanted to try something that might be seen as an “introductory” dish. When I saw the Sriracha Alfredo I know this was going to be my gateway dish. My two sons at home love a good alfredo and I can (almost) mix just about anything in it to make it more exciting for the grown ups. I ordered this one to go to see how it would be received by the little people in my house. The verdict: it was a huge hit with everyone, but especially my six-year-old. (By this time my 11-year-old was far more interested in commandeering my boba tea.)

This bowl is pretty traditional. It had fettuccini noodles, topped with bacon, red bell peppers. I opted out of these, knowing that if my boys even saw one sliver of pepper touching a noodle they would never come near a single bite. There were also broccoli and parmesan cheese mixed in. The biggest, and in my opinion best, difference in this alfredo is the addition of that glorious red-gold that we call Sriracha.

The sauce isn’t so belabored by the Sriracha that it turns red or even pink, it just adds a nice hue to the golden creamy alfredo. The heat isn’t something that slaps you in the face either, it is a slow and steady friendly assault. I mean, my six-year-old loves spicy food, but he’s not at my or his Dad’s level just yet. If you’re wanting to take a step on the Sobas side, but not quite sure what to get at this new Gilbert restaurant, this is a perfectly acceptable gateway dish.

Make sure you go online and check out their menu and let me know what you’re most interested in trying out.

Sobas is located at 3757 S. Gilbert Road, Ste. 106 in Gilbert. You can call them at 480.565.1965 for more information. You can even order online and pick up in a flash. They are open daily from 11am until 9pm and offer 50 seats for dining in.

**We would never try to trick you! So you should know that we were invited to Sobas as part of a media preview event before the restaurant opened to the public. All the tastes, comments, and recommendations are made by me. Although I received my meal for free, my words and opinions are my own and cannot be influenced by a free meal. Check out our Disclosure Policy for more information. **

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© Taryn Jeffries 2016