When you eat or cook for a living, you’re apt to become complacent, even flippant, about food trends, restaurant openings, or people who self-identify as “foodies.” In this new column, I hope to appeal to everyone who enjoys the satisfaction of that mouthwatering bite, the one that makes you pause or even groan. I examine meals through the lens of a professional chef, a food journalist, and mostly, a person who loves and appreciates good food. That could be an A5 Wagyu strip loin or a tantalizing taco.
IN THAT SPIRIT, my most memorable food moment at a new restaurant recently happened at a small, unassuming spot in the Spring Mountain Road area. Jin Jin Korean Chinese Cuisine (5115 Spring Mountain Rd #203) wowed me with its addictive jjajangmyeon, a decadent, yet down-to-earth, black bean noodle dish. This version reminds me of a Mexican molcajete served in a lava bowl oozing with cheese. You don’t have to be able to pronounce it to bask in the guilty pleasure of each gooey salty-sweet bite.
Bring friends because the portion is meant for a party. In South Korea, singles eat the heart-stopping noodle dish on April 14, known as Black Day, an unofficial holiday when the uncoupled eat their feelings freely. Apparently, it can help heal a broken heart. Happily coupled, I couldn’t help but fall in love with everything I ate at Jin Jin. The soy garlic shrimp tempura hit every tastebud and texture with its spicy sweet crunch. Even the simple Korean sweet and sour pork felt special with its tantalizing texture and tang.
NEW PLACES TO salivate over seem to pop up in Chinatown faster than a food influencer can post “food porn.” But Palette Tea Lounge (4601 Spring Mountain Rd, palettelv.com) has the whole food scene buzzing. The dim sum hot spot hails from San Francisco, and, as someone who grew up near America’s oldest Chinatown, I can say this place has the best yum cha I’ve eaten outside of the Bay Area. Try the lobster har gow. It’s as tasty as it is Instaworthy; the dumplings arrive with a little extra lobster stock in a plastic ampoule that you can inject into the center. You’ll feel like Bill Nye in the best way.
DISHES DON'T HAVE to be experimental to stand out. They do need to be executed with passion you can taste. An awesome new addition to the burgeoning Summerlin food scene can be found at a popular outdoor mall. Fine Company (10970 Rosemary Park Dr, finecompanylv.com), helmed by seasoned Las Vegas chef Roy Ellamar, is as warm and comforting as its global menu. A taste of “mom’s banana bread” helps tell the story of the chef’s Hawaiian upbringing, and the balance of flavor in the Spanish octopus with rancho gordo piquinto beans and piquillo pepper romesco demonstrates his culinary chops. It’s a wonderful start to what could become one of the best restaurants in the area.
A SIGNIFICANT SOUTHERN NEVADA trend is the proliferation of modern Italian concepts. Some food insiders will say there are too many now, but I’ve dined at three great ones. Amari (6825 Tom Rodriguez St #101, amarilv.com) at the new Uncommons serves a nearly perfect margherita pizza with a gorgeous, airy charred crust and an impressive amaro selection. Your meal will be well-digested. Basilico Ristorante Italiano (6111 S Buffalo Dr #100, basilicolv.com) boasts a bountiful indoor-outdoor space with an expansive selection of house-made pastas. And in downtown Henderson, you’ll find Azzurra Cucina Italiana (322 S Water St, azzurracucina.com), where chef Alessandra Madeira’s crave-worthy Italian classics earned Desert Companion’s Restaurant of the Year honors. If you’re comforted by fresh pasta and red sauce, it’s a good time to live here.
OUTSIDE THE HYPERLOCAL food scene, on the Strip, I ate — no devoured — the best squash blossoms I’ve had since my trip to Rome. The Fiori di Zucca at Fontainebleau’s Mother Wolf (2777 S Las Vegas Blvd, motherwolflv.com) were nearly perfect — crispy and creamy and filled with ricotta romana and parmigiano reggiano. The Las Vegas version of the Los Angeles restaurant feels fun and funky, with peachy pastels and beautiful people peppered across the lively space. Some of the dishes didn’t come out at the correct temperature, and the music could be a bit quieter, but the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the menu is authentic to the Eternal City. With chef Evan Funke at the helm, I look forward to what it can become in a few months after the kitchen and the front-of-house find their Vegas groove.
That’s the dish for now. Until we eat again…
