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| - If you're into cars, you're familiar with the concept of price-independent vs. price-dependent reviews. For example: is the new Corvette better than the current Ferrari Italia? On a price-independent basis, pffft, not even close. But the price-dependent verdict? Absolutely! Is Fat Choy a better restaurant than, say, Joel Robuchon? Uh ... NO. But when you factor in price, yeah, I'll say yes, it is, because the average tab per person (tax and tip included) at Fat Choy is $15-20 whereas the average cost per head at Joel Robuchon is 25 quadrillion dollars (OK, slight exaggeration).
The quality of the food at Fat Choy is very good. When you consider the bang-for-your-buck, Fat Choy is off the charts. Where else in Las Vegas, or anywhere in America for that matter, can you get roasted bone marrow for $8 or duck confit for $12? Those are the two menu items that I put in the gourmet category; the other two categories are Asian fusion and American standards. I'm not a big fan of bone marrow; it's just a bit too rich and the flavor too strong for my tastes. That said, I did think the one bite I got when my cousin ordered it was pretty good. My cousin (who finished off every last bit of the marrow) was flabbergasted by the price, insisting that for a bone that large, he would expect to pay $20 at least. But I am a huge fan of duck confit, and at Fat Choy, it's as good as I've had it anywhere else, with the bonus of an astonishingly low price.
In the Asian category, my favorite is the pot stickers. It always baffed me that pot stickers are on every single Chinese restaurant menu in America because I've never much cared for them. But wow, I love the pot stickers at Fat Choy. The wrapper isn't gummy or rubbery like in every Chinese restaurant I've ever eaten in, and the filling is leaner and more savory. My other favorites are the sesame noodles and the fried pork sauce noodles. The sesame noodles feature some mushrooms (I forgot which variety) that add a delicious layer of flavor to the sesame. If you let the fried pork sauce sit for a couple of minutes, the noodles absorb all the deliciousness of the fried pork. Both baos are great, pork belly and duck. For a foodie on a budget (describes me to a T), the Peking duck bao is a real gourmet treat. Again, how many places in Las Vegas, or anywhere else, can you enjoy gourmet quality for seven bucks??
The menu category I don't much care for is the American standards. Don't get me wrong, they're done OK. It's just that I don't like that kind of food. But if chicken wings, spaghetti & meatballs, and cheesesteaks are right up your alley, you'll be satisfied at Fat Choy.
Much has been made of the smoke issue inside the Eureka Casino, which was described in a local magazine as the kind of casino where chain-smoking gamblers are surgicaly grafted to their favorite slot machines. To borrow from the immortal wisdom of Bart Simpson: It's funny because it's true. Fat Choy recently got a smoke-eater system, which has helped tremendously with the smoke issue. I'll admit, I used to get pretty bothered at times by the smoke blowing in from the casino. If you're extremely smoke-sensitive, the smoke-eaters might not be enough. Actually, if you're extremely smoke-sensitive, you'll never survive the walk through the casino to get to the restaurant. But for me, the smoke issue is now a non-issue.
The very short walk through the smokey casino is well worth it. Besides great food at astonishingly low prices, Fat Choy has a passionately committed executive chef, Sheridan Su, and a terrific, warm, and friendly (genuine warmth & friendliness, in Las Vegas?) staff headed up by general manager Jenny Wong. For any foodie, a trip to Fat Choy is a good idea. For a foodie on a budget, it's an absolute must.
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