Here is the link to Steven A. Shaw‘s post on www.egullet.org about our Asian Food Extravaganza up and down Spring Mountain Road* yesterday — culminating with twelve courses at Lotus of Siam last night.
ELV couldn’t have said it better himself.
In order the restaurants were:
Ping Pang Pong (Outstanding dish: all of the dim sum)
Dong Ting Spring (Outstanding dish: smoked pig’s tongue)
Yun Nan Garden (Outstanding dish: lamb (although it was pork) with cumin)
China MaMa (Outstanding dish: every dumpling (called “pastry”) on the menu…although ELV preferred the soup dumplings (P23 on the menu), and the dumplings with “Nian(?) or Niar(??) green” – filled with spinach and egg)
Lotus of Siam (Outstanding dish: Northern Thai sausage, crispy rice with sausage, koi soi with tuna, soft-shell crabs, steamed sea bass….let’s face it: everything on the menu)
ELV knows what you’re thinking about now: “What? Only five restaurants in nine hours? What a bunch of wimps!”
Yes, it’s true. There was no Korean ban chan, no bubble tea nor banh mi. We forgot about pho and rejected any ramen. But still, it was an eating day for the ages.
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* Curiously, none of our chosen venues was actually on Spring Mtn. Rd., although three of the five were only a block off it.
I’m full just thinking about all the food you ate. And am all of a sudden craving soup dumplings….again.
It was, as ELV so eloquently stated, “an eating day for the ages,” and I was honored to be a part of the feast.
I’ve always been a champion of the Las Vegas dining scene, but after yesterday, ELV showed me a whole different world-a delicious slice of Las Vegas dining that I had never known. I’m glad I saw a glimpse of this different aspect of Las Vegas.
A bit of recognition goes to-
-The chefs at Ping Pang Pong who craft the flour-based pastry dough they employ in the Dim Sum-crisp, butter flakes of dough light as a feather. Their craftsmanship rivals anything coming out of the pastry kitchens of the top French restaurants in Las Vegas.
-The gracious service of the family, (Mom, Dad and Son), that runs Dong Ting Spring, combined with the exceptional Hunan cuisine, garners my vote for the top Chinese restaurant experience I’ve had in Las Vegas. The scent of Szechuan peppercorns wafts through the room the minute you walk through the door. Homey, a bit funky, a challenge to negotiate the menu, yet delicious food served with pride.
-The attention to detail at Lotus of Siam-like toasting rice and spices, then grinding it into a powder and dusting fresh tuna chunks with the fragrant mixture. Using not one, but three types of apples in the salad that was the base for the crispy-fried soft-shell crab.
-The inspiration of the staff at Lotus of Siam to pair German Rieslings with Thai cuisine. Simply marvelous.
-The conversations with Mr. Curtas and Mr. Shaw-undoubtedly two towering figures in the food world today.
-The cameo appearance of the Food Gal. A meal with ELV is never complete without the lovely Food Gal.
Sigh! I’m shocked, shocked (to see that there is gambling going on in this establishment!) not to have been included in this sortie. When are you people going to acknowledge that I am a NATIONAL TREASURE when it comes to Asian dining in this country. C’mon, the admission isn’t going to diminish anyone. Steven Shaw indeed. If only I lived in New York.
nice line-up but a little heavy on chinese – what about japanese ? vietnamese ? etc. etc. i still chuckle at the locations of yun nan and dong ting – i hope they get one heck of a rent reduction being in an alley ( schiff ) instead fo spring mtn.