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| - Beijing Noodle No. 9 is all sizzle and no substance. The atmosphere itself is amazing--starting with the shockingly white decor, attractive hostesses, huge goldfish tanks, and even the very walls of the restaurant (white panels with cut out shapes set in front of the actual walls).
And that's where the magic stops. Things didn't start well when the hostess (as attractive as she may be) made me wait for a table even though the restaurant was barely a quarter full. They may have been severely understaffed, but that excuse is probably giving BNN9 way too much credit. On my way out of the restaurant, she pulled the same routine with another diner. Unsurprisingly, the poor service (which was neither fast nor friendly) continued inside the restaurant--sending the clear message that BNN9 neither cared about nor desired your patronage.
The Char Siu Bao (steamed pork buns) was okay, with the nice soft doughy exterior as expected, but the barbecue pork filling seemed to be a little short on flavoring (at least for a what should be a high quality bun). The Beijing Pork Wonton in Chicken Soup was enjoyable, with the seaweed and dried baby shrimp providing unique taste accents. Finally, while I'm a fan of auspiciousness, $7.09 for a bottle of Tsing Tao borders on insanity.
All in all, you'll get better food and substantially better service (though without the cool decor) at Noodles in Bellagio.
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