Chinatown Vegas — Attraction in Spring Valley

We dined at Taiwan Deli, directed there from one of our food shows. Wow. First, crowded. There’s a line. We ended up letting them know we would be willing to share a table. What a fortuitous decision. Our table mates were 2 couples, one from Los Angeles via Taiwan (does eating in a Taiwanese place with native Taiwanese get better than that!) and the other young students from Orange County, CA via Tokyo. We had a blast! The whole experience was up several notches with the fellowship around a round table with amazing Taiwanese breakfast foods.

So, secondly, the food: pork pot stickers, steamed pork buns (not the fluffy kind but steamed won tons, and green onion egg pancakes, again not the super crispy kind but more of an onion flat pie.

The servers were seamless in serving and clearing in the busy place. We forgot to order tea, but we were so enthralled with our new friends, we didn’t care.

Not sure how a second visit will ever compare, but...

We were so disappointed with this "attraction". This is not a regular Chinatown district like you might find elsewhere. It's a collection of rundown shops in strip malls in a rather seedy area of town. No big archway like you see in photos. That's just the entrance to a parking lot, and there is more than one of those across a busy street where you have to go half a mile out of the way to cross at a proper crosswalk, because there is no jaywalking across this street. Not because you're a rebel, but because people speed and you'd get hit.

We even went into several shops asking where the main entrance is, looking for the big dragon arch, and every time they ignored me. I guess because we're not Asian. God forbid white people would be interested in Asian food and goods.

There is an Asian grocery store, and a little indoor mall with several tiny shops.

But no grand entrance like you...

All shops and restaurants are wonderful. This shopping complex is truly a work of art and a great experience. Unfortunately though, they have had multiple crime problems in the complex and surrounding neighborhoods. They like to smash windows and steal from your vehicles. We were eating inside a restaurant here when our van was broken into in broad daylight. They really need to protect their customers if they want more business and definitely upgrade their security cameras and patrols on the parking lot. They know it’s an issue but don’t warn the travelers there who’s vehicles get targeted. Beware of the area and keep your...