Chinese food is the obvious consensus pick as the most popular East Asian cuisine in the United States, and a quick Google search will tell you Japanese food is likely in second place. But there are many other diverse options from different Asian countries and regions that fall under this broad category, and various American cities have grown to specialize in specific cuisines.
As a true melting pot, Las Vegas offers a bit of everything when it comes to Asian food. In recent years, the Vegas Valley has become a hot bed for high-quality Thai restaurants, starting with the nationally recognized and celebrated institution Lotus of Siam (702.735.3033). Currently operating with its second location just east of the Strip on Flamingo Road—while refurbishing its original Sahara Avenue spot for a future reopening—Lotus has been hailed as one of the most authentic dining experiences to be had outside Thailand, with signature dishes including crispy duck khao soi, deep-fried garlic prawns tossed in black pepper sauce, Northern Thailand-style sai oua sausage and much more. Crowd pleasers like drunken noodles, sea bass with papaya salad and panang curry beef short ribs also stand out on the expansive Lotus menu.
For Thai treats on the Strip, the preferred purveyor is Lemongrass (877.230.2742) at Aria. Start with shrimp or chicken satay with creamy peanut sauce, or crispy marinated squid with sweet chili sauce, and move on to main dishes like pad Thai with ribeye steak, wok-fried vermicelli noodles with crab and XO sauce, and pineapple fried rice with shrimp, Chinese sausage and cashews.
Delicious specialties from Singapore are a bit harder to find around town, but the new Famous Foods Street Eats food hall at Resorts World has you covered thanks to Boon Tong Kee (702.767.7000), a beloved Chinatown institution in that famous food city since 1979. The cold poached Hainan chicken is the specialty of the house, tender and richly flavored poultry served simply with fragrant rice and cucumber plus sambal, soy and ginger-scallion sauces for dipping. There’s also a roasted chicken version of the dish as well as curry laksa noodles with pulled chicken, bean sprouts, potato and fried shallots. This is some of the most refined street food you can find in Las Vegas.
For Vietnamese comfort food, head to the Las Vegas version of Chinatown and make a stop at District One Kitchen & Bar (702.413.6868), a favorite haunt for hospitality workers from all the cool bars and restaurants around town. D1 is known for its delicious small plates like oxtail fries, goi ga chicken salad, pork belly buns and garlic chicken wings, but its over-the-top take on traditional Vietnamese pho noodle soup—including additions like whole Maine lobster, bone marrow, and roasted beef shank—will have you coming back for more.
Korean cuisine continues to climb the ranks of popularity in the U.S. and in Las Vegas, and celebrated Los Angeles chef Roy Choi is serving his tried-and-true favorites at Best Friend (888.769.2464) at Park MGM. Indulge in Choi’s famous Kogi barbecue short rib tacos, kalbi beef, garlic and soy chicken and kimchi fried rice, and amp up your foodie party with fun fusion dishes like uni dynamite rice, kimchi ramen and buttermilk fried chicken with sweet and sour chili sauce.
For a similarly energetic Korean bar experience off the Strip, check out Soyo (702.897.7696) in the southwest part of town. Serving everything from classic Korean barbecue to authentic noodles and soups to modern, fun Korean-style tapas, Soyo has every possible flavor to go along with an expansive beverage menu, making for a memorable night out. Our helpful tip: Don’t skip the spicy chicken wings or japchae sweet potato noodles.
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