The panoply of pan-Asian delights at Mu Du Noodles has kept this place hopping for years. Chef Mu Jing Lau is a Chinese-born, New Jersey-raised former computer engineer who gave up her high-tech career to go to culinary school at the Culinary Institute of America in upstate New York. Her menu reflects a love not just of noodles, but of the vast array of flavor combinations in Asian food. Eating here is like taking a whirlwind culinary tour in one night. Mu's beef tenderloin stirfry comes on top of a heap of thick rice noodles garnished with roasted peanuts and minced cilantro. The Indonesian chicken satay is served with a tamale made with coconut rice and banana, and her Malaysian laksa is laden with vegetables bathed in a kicky red curry. Thankfully for wine lovers, Mu Du Noodles pulls off the impossible feat of serving wines that somehow manage to match this food. Definitely take your server up on an offer to help you pair wine and food. And when the pretty back patio is open it's worth waiting for a table out there. The interior is sleek and intimate, but the patio is more relaxed and comfortable.
1494 Cerrillos Road, 983-1411.
Dinner Monday through Saturday. $$
