Fú presents an invigorating menu
By Brock Radke
Photos by Big French
Hong Kong soup
From the Woo family of Las Vegas, the operators of one of the city’s most beloved neighborhood Chinese restaurants, comes the brand-new Fú at Hard Rock Hotel, a hip pan-Asian eatery that combines Chinese-American favorites with authentic fare in a casual, colorful environment. Adjacent to Vanity Nightclub in the Hard Rock’s recently renovated western wing, Fú welcomes you through a bamboo tunnel into a warm space decorated in red, gold and green. These are lucky colors, and Fú is the Chinese word for luck. And if you’re not feeling lucky to have stumbled upon this cozy new restaurant, you will by the end of your meal.
This local family fed other local families for years at the popular Mayflower Cuisinier on the west side of Las Vegas, and also operated casino restaurants at Luxor and The Palazzo. With Fú, they are updating long-popular and perfected recipes to fit the appetites of Hard Rock patrons, and spicing things up with exhilarating regional dishes from Korea, Vietnam, Japan and Thailand. The dining room feels like a cross between a friendly noodle shop and an energized after-hours lounge, making for an interesting dynamic.
Mongolian beef
Because it is close to the club, a fun meal of shared plates is an easy and comfortable option. Fú’s selection of Asian tapas has something for everyone. There are traditional dim sum-style bites including savory steamed pork and shrimp sui mai, puffy roast pork buns, pan-fried chicken pot stickers and crunchy vegetable egg rolls. Perfect for the table: spicy Thai basil minced chicken lettuce wraps, with a chili-laden kick that balances perfectly with the crisp, cool lettuce enclosing each delicious bite. For a little more funk and soul, opt for a cold soft shell crab spring roll or traditional moo shu chicken.
Fú serves a plethora of delicately flavored noodle soups, a soothing way to warm up during the desert winter. Whether it’s Vietnamese pho, spicy Sichuan beef noodle, oxtail, wonton or hot and sour soup, you’re covered. Even the Chinese rice porridge congee is well represented, served with seafood, sliced beef or, for the adventurous eater, salty pork and preserved egg. More noodles are coming in the form of Hong Kong-style chow mein or a sweet-and-sour pad Thai. Similarly, wok-fried rice dishes run the gamut including classic Yangzhou with roast pork and shrimp, curry and pineapple and seafood with crispy garlic. Each of these comfort food plates is beyond satisfying.
You’ll find your favorites among the entrées, executed with flavorful flair. Spicy Mongolian beef is made with luscious tenderloin and saturated in a rich, slightly sweet sauce. The old-school, Americanized dish of honey walnut shrimp is perked up with lemon aioli, and Korean barbecue beef short ribs, or kalbi, offer addictive flavor. Peking duck is served with steamed buns and hoisin sauce for a familiar feast, and juicy shrimp can be enjoyed with a brilliant five-spice crust alongside more Thai basil and fresh stir-fried jalapeño peppers. These menu twists and turns are infinitely rewarding, proving Fú is a tremendous new asset. Looks like the Hard Rock is pretty lucky, too.
Hard Rock Hotel
11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 702.522.8188
