I know Ding's Garden well as I lived in S. California for many years and have eaten their food many times.
This is their first venture to the Vegas area.
This restaurant is in a large strip mall with ample parking. The place is easy to spot.
The decor gives you a clean impression -- metallic tables help. Servers try hard, but they still have to learn a lot about the menus and their specific job functions, e.g.:
1. Ordered Braised Duck Shanghai Style -- wait staff brought us Salted Duck. When we rejected the Salted Duck, the wait staff insisted that it is the Braised Duck.( Braised duck is with a red color glaze, salted duck is plain ). Finally, it was resolved. But the wait staff should be able to distinguish the difference right away.
2. Inaccurate ordering -- we ordered a Rice cake Shanghai style and a Spicy Wonton. When the order receipt was brought to our table, it shows two orders of rice cake but no wonton. Although it was resolved easily, it really should not have happened.
The wait staff errors can be improved but some guidance and teaching will be necessary.
Since their opening, I have been to this restaurant four times. There are some dishes that are wonderful, just like what my mother used to cook -- the Shanghainese way. Unfortunately, there are dishes that were not as good:
Braised Beef Tendon - Excellent, the best in Vegas.
Gluten Puff Shanghainese style - ordered three times, all great.
Marinated Cucumbers -- twice were good, third time was tasteless.
Xiao Long Bao, Onion Pancakes, -- always good.
Spicy Wonton -delicious in taste but the wonton skin is too thick. Try pan fried Wonton instead.
Pan fried Wonton -- great.
Halogen Spiced peanuts - twice were very good, third time was dry and tasteless.
Fried Stinky Tofu - stinky alright. Do not order this unless you are used to the taste.
Grandmother Drunken Fish - again, not to be ordered unless you are used to the taste.
Braised Duck Shanghai Style; Salted Duck - both are too greasy. Taste is ok. But not appetizing due to the fat.
Salted Chicken SHanghai style - I will avoid that. Not my favorite.
Beef noodle soup and other rice and noodle dishes are all decent.
Service and consistency of food quality is an issue. They are experiencing some growing pains. I sincerely hope that all the issues can be rectified.
A 4 star rating is about right for me.