Officially the Year of the Tiger has begun. Every casino in Vegas went all out decorating for Chinese New Year. This tiger was at the Venetian, but the Bellagio, Wynn and Caesar's were equally decked out.
In that spirit, 3 Good Eggs stopped at Beijing Noodle No. 9 at Caesar's Palace to ring in the new year with traditional Chinese food. As can be expected at a restaurant in Las Vegas, showmanship seemed to reign supreme. The decor at Beijing Noodle No. 9 was up for debate - somewhere between the milk bar in a Clockwork Orange and the inside of a greeting card. The white cutout silhouettes accented with splashes of red and a tankful of orange goldfish at the entrance leave you feeling a little disoriented. The best thing to do is to bury yourself in the menu.
We tried the Kung Pao chicken (a favorite of our waiter), the handmade noodles with sliced pork & mushrooms, steamed vegetables & rice, and the duck. Unfortunately, for all the promises of authentic Northern Chinese food, we were left disappointed. Truthfully the waiter was right and the Kung Pao chicken was the tastiest dish. The duck was full of bones, so while it tasted okay picking through the bones left it a tedious task more than an enjoyable meal. The handmade noodles themselves were delicious (and fun to watch them make them in the front of the restaurant), but the overall dish lacked any great flavor. The Kung Pao chicken was good, but it was no more exciting than any ordinary take out Chinese anywhere.
Overall it was disappointing given that we were told it would be an authentic Northern style Chinese restaurant. Many of the waitstaff are from China and said the food was delicious. Sadly, in the end, we would've been better off at PF Chang's at Bally. The decorations in the casinos kept us in the new year's spirit though.
Happy Year of the Tiger!
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