The Monday evening after this last Super Bowl, a few friends and I had dinner at Raku. Afterwards, we booked an Uber to pick us up and take us downtown...and pick us up it did.
The Asian fellow who drove us down there was wearing one of those SARS medical masks they used to wear out in China back in the day. His voice was a little muffled behind the cloth, but he asked me if I had ever eaten at Trattoria Nakamura-Ya. I asked him what the hell he was talkin' bout because I never heard of such a thing.
Long story short, he told me it was a Japanese-Italian fusion joint right next to Raku...and he said it was the best food in Chinatown. When an Oriental man tells me it's the best, I have to believe he knows what he's sayin', but I also thought his parents could be the owners...or maybe he was a busboy, ya know? Or maybe he had one of those kick-back deals the cabbies have with the local massage parlors?
Fast forward four months upon my next visit and I found myself wanting to eat up in Chinatown (more so because I wanted to visit a bar called Irene's just west on Spring Mountain a bit). I remembered this lad and what he said, so I gave it a shot.
All I can say is that it was everything this dude spewed about and more. I really liked that I got there about ten minutes after they opened and I was the only one inside until I paid my check (it's very small in there).
Octopus Carpaccio with Wasabi Mayo and (their specialty...$27) Linguini 'Uni' Tomato Cream. I done died and went to heaven...and I don't really believe in the heaven, you see?
Make the quick trip from the Strip and eat here, folks.
Thanks SARS Mask Guy!!!