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DUCK DYNASTY Blossom chef Chi Kwun Choi on the perfect Peking duck. Is there a perfect Peking duck? It must be five and a half pounds. It is important that a Peking duck not be too large or too small. The server presents the whole duck to the table and carves it tableside. What should I do with leftovers? We chop them into smaller pieces and pan-fry them, or put them in soup or lettuce wraps, for an extra charge. PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARBARA KRAFT (WING LEI); COURTESY OF MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL (DUCK) People's Republic CHINATOWN'S SPRING MOUNTAIN ROAD ISN'T THE ONLY PLACE TO LOOK FOR AUTHENTIC CHINESE CUISINE. THE STRIP IS PACKED WITH LUXURIOUS OPTIONS, TRADITIONAL AND NONTRADITIONAL. and marble (not to mention some wit, like dried noodles displayed in backlit apothecary jars). It's also open until 2 AM every night for the post-club crowd. Look for chef Patrick Lee's regional noodle dishes and Hong Kong – style barbecue, as well as dim sum, served Friday through Sunday. Bellagio, 866-259-7111; bellagio.com Pearl Chef Kai-Wa Yau serves an ever-changing seasonal menu of traditional Cantonese and Shanghainese cuisine at the luxe Pearl, also designed by Tony Chi. The soaring ceilings, plush seating, f loor-to-ceiling teal mosaic walls, and dramatic, oversize red lanterns create a stylish and inviting atmosphere. Live seafood is the specialty here. MGM Grand, 702-891-7380; mgmgrand.com Wing Lei This opulent, newly reopened restaurant is all crisp white, gold, and jade. Every element has been painstakingly considered, including the custom carpet, patterned after embroidered imperial jackets of the Ming period. The food combines Eastern tradition with Western technique for an elevated dining experience at the first Chinese restaurant in North America (and the only one in Vegas) to receive a Michelin star. Wynn Las Vegas, 702-770-3463; wynnlasvegas.com V Beijing Noodle No. 9 If you think Chinese restaurants and giant fish tanks go together like sweet and sour, then Beijing Noodle No. 9 will feel pleasantly familiar. With imposing walls of goldfish tanks against a stark white backdrop, it's like a Chinese restaurant plucked straight out of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Inside you'll find genuine northern Chinese cuisine, with an emphasis on hand-stretched noodles. Caesars Palace, 877-346-4642; caesarspalace.com Blossom While the authenticity of certain Chinese-American dishes may be questionable (we're looking at you, General Tso), the same can't be said for Peking duck, consid- ered a national dish of China and traditionally served before the main course, with moo shu wraps or buns and cucumbers, shredded scallions, and hoisin sauce. Not a fan of poultry's darker side? Don't fret; there are 100 other items on the menu—including chicken. Aria, 877-230-2742; arialasvegas.com China Poblano A combo concept from celebrated chef José Andrés, China Poblano takes signature Chinese and Mexican items and puts them on the same menu, sometimes in the same dish, as in the Viva China tacos, with beef tendon, oysters, scallions, and Sichuan pepper- corn sauce. These two seemingly disparate cultures have a history together that goes back at least five centuries. In other words, it's not that strange at Cosmopolitan, where clever juxtaposition is business as usual. Cosmopolitan, 702-698-7900; cosmopolitanlasvegas.com Hakkasan The haute Hakkasan first opened in London, where it holds a Michelin star, before expanding to cities from Miami to Mumbai. The Las Vegas location debuted last spring and features endless walls of hand-cut marble and intricate wood latticework spread over 80,000 square feet. While many people know it as the hottest nightclub on the Strip, the food is equally impressive. Try the mushroomy Hakka noodles. MGM Grand, 702-891-7888; hakkasan.com/lasvegas Jasmine With f loor-to-ceiling views of the Bellagio fountains, Jasmine's regal dining room is the setting for its famous Sunday Fountains Brunch buffet. Offerings include Wu Xu – style braised short ribs with pickled mustard greens, ahi tuna medallions with togarashi chili and yuzu gelée on lotus chips, and lobster-potato cake Benedict with a Japanese onsen-style egg. Bellagio, 702-693-8865; bellagio.com Noodles Noodles was designed by Tony Chi with luxurious touches of gilt Wing Lei's newly redesigned dining room at Wynn. Peking duck at Blossom. 140 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM GUIDE devour 140_V_BOB_G_Devour_Spring14.indd 140 2/10/14 5:05 PM