china town las vegas authentic retail shops, restaurants, market - by Kelly

China Town Las Vegas

China Town Las Vegas is a series of large shopping centers with ethnic Chinese and other pan-Asian businesses. It is only one mile west from the Las Vegas Boulevard on Spring Mountain which is the road between Treasure Island Resort and Casino and the Fashion Show Mall. It's not like San Francisco's by any measure but the locals are proud to have their own China Town and everything that comes with it. The China Town Plaza is marked by a traditional Chinese arch and the Tong Dynasty architecture. There is even a statue of the Journey to the West of Xuan Zang and the Monkey God at the front of the mall.

The 99 Ranch Market is the largest Asian supermarket in Las Vegas. They have exotic produce from all over the world, fresh and live seafood, different soy products, and all the noodles, spices and sauces you can imagine. There is a Chinese herb store, Boba tea shops, and bakeries. The restaurant choices for the Plaza include Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Filipino. There is a Malaysian restaurant and quite a bit of tofu restaurants surrounding the China Town Plaza. You really have to get out and walk the plaza, both levels, to see all of the unique stores and restaurants. Other than food there is a Chinese bookstore, travel agencies, real estate offices, hair salons, arts and craft gift shops.

Chinatown Plaza has been proclaimed the official Asian Pacific American Cultural Center for Las Vegas by the Clark County commission. Chinatown Plaza holds an open house for the students of Las Vegas which coincides with Asian Heritage month. Each student is given the opportunity to experience Chinese and culture first hand.

Each year the Chinese American Chamber of Commerce organizes the Chinese New Year which has become the largest and most exciting New Year Celebration in all Las Vegas. This includes the Asian food festival that has become the biggest authentic Asian food gathering in the whole city serving Hawaiian, Thai, Mandarin, Hong Kong, Cantonese cuisine and more. Performances for the day usually include the lion dance, Chinese folk dance, Chinese martial arts, and Chinese acrobat, Japanese Taiko drums and Japanese dance, Tahitian dance, Dragon dance, Thai dance, and Philippine Bamboo Stick Dance.

Spring Mountain Road is where you will find a good selection of Asian restaurants. So if you want to get off The Strip and see more of Las Vegas then this is definitely a must, a don't miss, a don't pass up, a don't drive by. There are a lot of crazy, unique, authentic, and disgusting (to the typical queasy American) things to try and buy in China Town Las Vegas.