Whether you're new in town or a decades-long desert dweller, you've probably figured out that we do things a little differently here, and that certainly applies to our culinary culture.
In most American cities lucky enough to have a Chinatown, origin is organic; at some point, Chinese entrepreneurs gravitated to a specific neighborhood, opened up businesses, and that was that. But in Las Vegas, the Asian population is growing fast and is not confined to any particular region, so our Chinatown is quite a bit different than in most cities. But it also has been growing, becoming much more than just the stereotype: The best place to find Chinese food in town.
Alan Chen is the public relations manager for Chinatown Plaza, 4255 W. Spring Mountain Road. His father, James, is the principal developer who opened it in 1994. "Las Vegas Chinatown is the first master-planned Chinatown in the country, as far as I know," said the younger Chen. "My father and his partners wanted to come in and establish something that would be a strength in the community and a complement to Las Vegas Boulevard, but I don't think anyone could have planned for it to become this."
What it has become is one of the strongest concentrations of outstanding restaurants anywhere in the valley, not in the same league as the Strip, but certainly more interesting and diverse than suburban centers that unjustifiably attract more attention.
Initially confined to the Tong Dynasty-themed plaza on Spring Mountain just west of Valley View Boulevard, Chinatown now could be considered as Spring Mountain from Valley View -- that southeast corner boasts the popular Satay Malaysian Grille and Little Saigon restaurants -- all the way out to Jones Boulevard. The Asian Pacific Center at 5700 Spring Mountain contains Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese barbecue restaurants, and the Pacific Asian Plaza at 5115 Spring Mountain, just west of Decatur Boulevard, has everything from the vast SF Supermarket to the Malaysian cuisine at Penang to my favorite sandwich shop in town, the Vietnamese/French Hue Thai.
"It took a while for everyone to understand the diversity that has grown here," said Chen. "Just in Chinatown Plaza alone you have Vietnamese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean and Chinese restaurants, and you have many different styles of Chinese food, along with bakeries, snack houses, and tapioca tea (drink) shops."
Chen's restaurant, Emperor's Garden, serves authentic Szechuan food, which would be from the Western Chinese province of Sichuan. He is quick to point out that most Chinese eateries around Vegas serve some version of Cantonese food and people therefore may only be familiar with a popular dish like Kung Pao chicken as Szechuan. Those people are missing out on tasty Ma Po Tofu and tea-smoked duck.
Chinatown Plaza was originally anchored with businesses proven in California, such as the 99 Ranch Market -- which, along with the newer SF up the street, may be the only places to buy live fish in Vegas -- and Sam Woo's restaurant, famous for the hanging barbecued ducks in the front window, just like my Hawaiian-Chinese grandma used to do. Consistent business has allowed for other restaurateurs, many local, to join in the success, adding even more variety to the mix.
"Anytime you see a bunch of Chinese people inside, it's probably good," said Chen.
It doesn't matter how long you've been in Vegas -- if you haven't sampled the treasures of our version of Chinatown, you're missing out.
Brock Radke's food column appears twice monthly. Contact him at bradke@viewnews.com.
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