Thanksgiving has us all thinking about eating, so here are a few excerpts from City Cast Las Vegas’ conversation about “hidden food gems” with Brent Holmes, an artist and bon vivant who wrote the Street Foodie column for Desert Companion.
What makes a place a hidden food gem?
Authenticity is really up there. We have really great chefs who can cook you up cuisine from almost anywhere in the world. And I love those guys; more power to ’em. But when I’m going for a hidden gem, I’m really going for the real deal. I want an abuela in the kitchen, you know what I mean? I want to be standing in the parking lot of a tire shop, going, “These are the best tacos (imitates chewing sounds).” I think that’s a big part of it. I think price is a big part of it.
Can we talk about Chinatown? Pick a place.
Fellow food critic Jason Harris pointed me to this place, Yen Viet Kitchen (3575 S. Decatur Blvd). My goodness, is that some incredible Vietnamese food with some really off-the-wall dishes. And it’s got that classic — I don’t know what the Vietnamese term for grandma is — but it’s got the abuela in the kitchen, making the food, and the dishes are absolutely stellar.
Do we have a hidden gem soul food spot in Vegas?
My favorite soul food spot is Soul Foo Young.
Yes!
Dude! Dude! The Bruce Leroy itself is a miracle! Soul Foo Young is a soul food joint cum Chinese restaurant in the best Wu-Tang Clan, kung-fu-movie remix sense of the word. It is egg foo young with pork neck-bone gravy. It is the Bruce Leroy, which is two chicken wings and fried rice. It’s got that blending of flavors. It is wonderful, wonderful food, and a hilarious concept; they do not take themselves seriously, and you’re going to be satisfied on both ends.
(Edited for length and clarity.)
