I doubt very many people have the passing thought that authentic chinese and mexican flavors might go well together. I know, it certainly never crossed my mind. But, lucky for all of us, Jose Andres is that sort of genius! His restaurant, China Poblano in Las Vegas (City Center at Cosmopolitan) offers a menu of tacos, dumplings, fried rice and margaritas that will make your taste buds jump for joy. It is quite possibly my most favorite restaurant in the world!
China Poblano video from Jose Andres ThinkFoodGroup on Vimeo.
You can peruse the full menu on the restaurant website and the plates are all small portions to give you maximum mix-and-match tasting options. So, go ahead and order a taco or two and some noodles to split with a friend, maybe throw in some traditional Chinese buns and you will still have room for desert!
The restaurant is most famous for the fried rice, which is delicious. But, if you’re like me and appreciate strong flavors, this dish may be worth skipping in favor of some more complex dishes. My recommendations (culled together over 4 visits in two years) to whet your appetite:
to drink: Rosa de Oaxaca; a margarita-inspired cocktail with mezcal, hibiscus and rosewater.
tacos: each person in the party should each order at least one taco – don’t let that simple-looking refried bean option fool you, it packs some great flavors! Other favorites are the Pescado a la Plancha with delicious pickled onion or the Carnitas with pork rinds.
dumplings: the traditional shumai option is a personal standby. I don’t think I could eat here and not order it! Skip the scallops shumai; the delicate scallop flavor is totally lost here, though I did enjoy the texture of the peanuts. I also loved the lamb potstickers if you’re looking for a heartier flavor.
noodles: nothing ever jumped out at me in this category and I have to admit that I’ve never ordered any of the noodle dishes!
ceviche: The Tuna Ceviche is, by-far, the best ceviche that I’ve ever tasted. The flavors and textures are multi-layered and your taste buds will be in overdrive trying to take in the herb, citrus, brine, and nuttiness all at once and the instant crunch of the toasted quinua with the creaminess of the avocado sent me over the moon!
What ever you do, do not skip dessert. Don’t even look at the menu, you MUST try the mango sticky rice – I was speechless on the first bite and still haven’t found the words to describe this little bowl of heaven!
¡Buen provecho!
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