Savor the Asian Flavors

Top Vegas eats inspired by the Far East

Amid all the hype about celebrity chefs, hip bistros and inspired fusion fare, one thing often gets lost in the mix:

Las Vegas has some of the best Asian food in the country. Staffed by chefs skilled in handpulling noodles, teppanyaki grilling and graceful sashimi-knife work, these restaurants are some of our favorites.

Elegant and opulent, with views of Lake Bellagio and the famous water fountains from every window, Jasmine at the Bellagio is one drop-dead gorgeous restaurant. Head here for authentic Cantonese cuisine made with the freshest ingredients — the seafood arrives live from Australia twice a week. If you can only go once, check out the famous Fountains Brunch, serving up Cantonese delicacies and American classics in a live-action cooking station as the fountains perform on cue every 15 minutes. Jasmine 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South 702.693.8166 www.bellagio.com/jasmine

See and be seen at Koi in Planet Hollywood, where celebrities line up for over-the-top amazing Japaneseinspired fare with California accents. Signature dishes include crispy rice topped with spicy tuna, Kobe filet mignon Toban-Yaki, the spicy rock shrimp tempura hand roll and the baked lobster roll with creamy sauce. Equally delectable are the traditional and creative sushi and sashimi rolls. While this hotspot is sleek and stylish, sophisticated and hip, all of that takes a backseat to Koi’s food, which is as good as it gets. Koi 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. South 702.454.4555 www.koirestaurant.com

At Aria’s Blossom, authentic fare includes a 100-dish lineup that has every Chinese foodie covered —from comfortable classics to trend-forward dishes from Beijing, Hong Kong and Thailand. Sample old-time standards such as chilled marinated pig’s ear, marinated duck’s tongue and braised bamboo fungus; or the apparently en vogue braised sliced fresh abalone with fish maw (air bladder), and geoduck (giant clam) prepared in a shibu-shibu style. For the hard-core Chinese gastronome, over 20 hard-to-find specialty items can be procured with advance notice for off-menu enjoyment: fancy a cordyceps soup made from a winter “worm” fungus known to benefit the respiratory system, anyone? Blossom 3730 Las Vegas Blvd. South 877.230.2742 www.arialasvegas.com

Opposite: FruiT PLaTe aT HaKassaN Above left: maiNe LobsTer aT jasmiNe Above right: Koi susHi and PiNg PaNg PoNg asParagus

Follow the locals and head for Ping Pang Pong, a favorite among the Asian community that consistently makes “best Asian food” lists across the country. Known for its regional Chinese specialty dishes, this low-key eatery inside the Gold Coast Casino is usually packed, especially during lunch hour. That’s when dim sum is served from Cantonese pushcarts wheeled through the restaurant, piled high with steaming plates of noodles and dumplings; more than 40 items are offered each day. Ping Pang Pong 4000 W. Flamingo Road 702.247.8136 www.goldcoastcasino.com

The prices are admittedly sky-high, but Hakassan, the new Cantonese restaurant at the MGM Grand most noted for its uber-cool megaclub, is nothing short of fabulous. Helmed by Michelin-starred chef Ho Chee Boon, Hakassan’s menu is approachable with an exotic twist. The duck salad will turn duck-haters into duck-lovers; the stir-fry udon noodle with shredded duck and XO sauce is positively addictive, as is the stir-fried black pepper ribeye beef with merlot. And when you’re done, you can head upstairs and party with the rich and famous. Hakassan 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South 702.891.7888 www.hakkasanlv.com

Celebrate Chinese New Year!

As a city that loves to celebrate cultural diversity, Las Vegas puts on a great party for the Chinese New Year, known in China as Spring Festival. During the 2014 Year of the Horse festival, running from Jan. 31 to Feb. 18, the city rocks with celebrations galore: special entertainers and a transformed décor at many resorts, special Year of the Horse dishes at restaurants, even Chinese New Year-inspired spa treatments.

Not to miSS: the gorgeous Year of the Horse installation at the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at Bellagio; and the annual three-day Chinese New Year in the Desert festival in Downtown Vegas featuring a live dragon dance, cultural performances, authentic Chinese dishes, competitions and a parade.