Sometimes, a desire for Chinese hits you. The soy sauce, the noodles, the pot stickers, the fortune cookies…. I’m not sure what triggers that craving, but only a visit to an authentic Chinese restaurant satisfies.
China MaMa in Las Vegas
This time the urge hit on Sunday and China MaMa on South Jones Ave. about 12 miles west of the Strip, came to mind. China MaMa occupies a vacant bank building which has been converted into a restaurant. But you can still tell what it was because the front door is under the bank’s drive thru teller area.
We got there about 1 PM, and the place was pretty empty. Green tea was brought immediately with two menus, one for appetizers and one for entrees. Didn’t see any alcohol served but we all enjoyed the hot tea so we didn’t care.
Ordered the Chicken Corn Soup ($4.50 for the small which served three of us with some left over). It also was piping hot and slightly sweet with it’s pieces of corn and tender chicken in a creamy egg-drop base. Excellent.
Chicken Corn Soup
Next, the Green Onion Pancake ($4.75 and enough to amply serve all of us) was a layered crepe that was flavored with scallions and served with a dish of hoisin sauce. Flavor was good with crispy surfaces but not salty enough. I just dipped my portion in soy as I ate.
Green Onion Pancake
Pan Fried Pot Stickers (Gyoza) for $7.25 were nice & crispy on the bottom and chewy on top filled with a ginger/onion scented pork.
Potstickers
Kung Pao Chicken had tender chunks of chicken and lots and lots of peanuts in a highly seasoned Kung Pao sauce. Midly spicy and very good.
Kung Pao Chicken
The last dish was Fried Rice Cake with Fungi. Cooked rice that was smashed and rinsed in a colander then formed into a cake and cut into chunks (fat caterpillar size) that was stir fried with a mushroom( ear tree?) and green and hot peppers. It was tasty, it really was. But I had to leave most of it behind because it was so hot, it hurt. Flavor and fire.
Fried Rice Cake
So the dishes are generously sized, we had enough Kung Pao to take home and the food is authentic and delicious. Also, the menu is really large for such a small place. More reason to return.
Read Also:
