On the Strip: La La Noodle
The new culinary offerings at Park MGM—Best Friend, Eataly and the NoMad Restaurant—are still capturing much of the foodie buzz on the Strip, but you may have missed the newest
restaurant in this remade resort’s collection, where fresh-made, hand-pulled noodles prepared in various styles are the centerpiece of an exciting pan-Asian menu. La La Noodle (Park MGM, 702.730.7025) offers a comfortable, refined atmosphere adjacent to Park Theater and a selection of classic and creative dishes. Start with crisp-tender salt-and-pepper calamari tossed with red jalapeños, garlic and scallions and decadent lobster dumplings with spicy, creamy sriracha mayo. There are also terrific soups like wonton or hot and sour varieties. Favorites like walnut shrimp, General Tso’s chicken and panang curry duck (with red curry) are tempting, but plan to share those specialties so you can focus on hand-ripped Xi An noodles with spicy pork, cucumbers and scallions, or chewy noodles with brisket, bok choy and cilantro in an aromatic five-spice beef broth. –Brock Radke
Off the Strip: Cevicheria El Diamante
At brightly painted and welcoming Cevicheria El Diamante (2457 E. Tropicana Ave., 702.202.1157), settle in for a feast befitting a seaside Mexican palapa. Fresh seafood, flash-cured in citrus, is the house specialty, and you can choose from a kaleidoscopic range of savory ingredients including salmon, tuna, octopus and avocado. When mesmerizing mounds of ceviche arrive, pile the vibrant mixes on crispy, housemade corn tostadas. There’s a mountain of hot dishes, too, including bubbling molcajetes, steaming cauldrons filled with treats like crab legs, langoustines and abalone in a zesty sauce. –Greg Thilmont
#trending: Hazel Coffee & Cocktails
Hazel Coffee
The lobby bar at Mandalay Bay has been converted into Hazel Coffee & Cocktails (702.632.7700), a cozy lounge and social space open from 5 a.m. until after midnight, offering early birds a quick and delicious pick-me-up and nighttime guests live entertainment. Lamill Coffee from L.A. is the star of the morning show, with espresso, cortado, cappuccino or latte served alongside breakfast sandwiches, pastries and more. The evening menu spans the classics, offering traditional and modern takes on cocktails from the Manhattan to the martini. –BR
