Where I've Eaten Lately

An amateur food critic is at the mercy of his own pocketbook. Mine has not been very full lately, and, therefore, I haven't been doing too much eating out worthy of comment. I have been a couple places without reviewing them, so I will give them a little shout here.

I've heard for a few years that Pin Kaow, a Las Vegas Thai chain (3 in the valley), is at least serviceable and sometimes better than that. At lunch last week I found their Henderson location to be good at the basics we tried. The Pad Thai is definitely a good rendition, and since they are much closer to me than Lotus of Siam, I will probably be back sooner than later. The other items we tried were all fresh and tasty. The restaurant is nicely appointed and the service is solid (a notable departure from the other Thai place above).

Ping Pang Pong has been the place for dim sum in Las Vegas for as long as I've lived here, but I had never been there until a Mothers Day weekend visit with my parents and girlfriend. Lately there has been a buzz about China Mama and Beijing Noodle No. 9 for some of their dim sum items, but if they truly are better than triple P, I will be surprised (This next month is going to be busy for me on the Asian restaurant front). The dim sum selections are wonderfully executed, other selections are equally tasty, and the service is brisk and adequate.

All of the Green Valley area of Henderson seems to be abuzz about The Cracked Egg's fourth valley location in the Smith's shopping center at Green Valley and the 215. I went and found that, despite my doubts, there was a good reason for all the buzz. No matter what you order be sure to get some of their coffee cake. Fresh, warm and seemingly always with a different thing thrown into the mix (chocolate chips, apples, or cherries for instance), it is worth the trip by itself. Eggs are cooked to order correctly, everything tastes fresh, and service is on par with, if not a little better than, other good breakfast joints.

I have, no pun intended, heard mixed reviews of Mix at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay since before I moved to town. I now know the reason why. The restaurant itself is beautiful. From the view to the sedate yet surprisingly beautiful dining room, you can't go wrong with the ambiance here. The service matches the restaurant itself in its elegance and near perfection. The problem is, I don't go to restaurants for the ambiance. It helps, no doubt, when wooing a member of the opposite sex or a prospective client, but when I go to eat, I go to eat. I found the food to be haphazardly executed. The menu is well stocked with great combinations but the things I tried were not executed at close to the level that befits the price tag.

I guess I haven't been eating that poorly really. Throw in a couple requisite late night trips to Raku and the past month has provided some adequate, and sometimes superb, victuals. The next month and a half should hold Wazuzu, China Mama, Beijing Noodle No. 9, wherever I eat in Los Angeles, and of course a little Raku. Looks tasty.

Brian William Waddell is a foodie, beer geek, and author. His numerous blog posts range from food to politics. He also has a book of poetry, Fractured Prose, available here, and is ready to publish his second poetic endeavor.

Hunan Restaurant

Chinese restaurants are abundant in this country. Good Chinese restaurants are not as easy to find. Great Chinese restaurants are so rare that I can think of only a handful. The one Chinese restaurant you all must make a special trip to go to is not on The Strip. It's not even on Spring Mountain. It's in little ol' Fresno, California, and it's called Hunan.

The chef there is world class. I'm not just using that as a nice little phrase to denote that I enjoy his food. No, Chef Liu has represented China in numerous cooking competitions and even has some of his medals, including a silver from a little competition known as Bocuse d'Or, displayed on the wall of this unpretentious space in an older strip mall in North Fresno.

The food at other Chinese places may evoke a "Yummy" or an "Mmmm" from time to time, but I challenge any city in this fair nation to show me a Chinese restaurant that makes you willing to make a six hour drive once a week to have the privilege of eating its food. Las Vegas doesn't have it, although we do have a number of worthwhile stops if you do happen to be in town.

I would put this place on the level of a Lotus of Siam with its bargain prices and amazing food, but the truth is, Hunan has no equal. Dollar for dollar, no matter the cuisine or the location, in this country, Hunan is the best. It's just that good. The service is friendly and prompt, and the food never falls short of my high expectations.

If you have a last meal coming up, I recommend the Butter Cream Prawns with Strawberries. A mixture of sweet and savory few can balance so perfectly. I don't care where you are in the country, fly to Fresno and I'll have my dad pick you up at the airport and take you to Hunan, it'll be cheaper than a trip to China, but with all the flavor.

Brian William Waddell is a foodie, beer geek, and author. His numerous blog posts range from food to politics. He also has a book of poetry, Fractured Prose, available here, and is ready to publish his second poetic endeavor.