Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

WEST LAS VEGAS 157
sua rong hai (“weeping tiger”), a dish of soft, sliced, grilled, marinated beef. If
you insist on more conventional Thai, that’s okay, in that it’s unlikely you are
going to have better mee krob noodles or tom kah kai (that beloved soup can also
be served northern style, if asked, which is without the coconut milk). If in season,
finish with mango with sticky rice, or if not, coconut ice cream with sticky
rice, something you would find at many a street stall in Thailand.
953 E. Sahara Ave. #A-5. & 702/735-3033. Reservations strongly suggested for dinner. Lunch buffet $5.99,
other dishes $3.95–$14. AE, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–2:30pm and 5–9:30pm.
Mediterranean Café & Market MEDITERRANEAN The emphasis on
safe mainstream food for the masses, to say nothing of the basic economy
involved in running a Vegas restaurant (take your pick, either pay costly rent to
a Strip hotel, or get less tourist traffic with an off-Strip site), means that the kind
of eateries other big cities take for granted—you know, cheap holes-in-the-wall,
or charming little quirky joints, or the kind of ethnic places the chowhound
folks brag about discovering—are rare indeed. And when you do find them, they
are always, but always, in a strip mall.
The Mediterranean Café is no exception, and its main dining room has no
decor worth mentioning. But it gets extra points for having a courtyard seating
area full of Middle Eastern touches and an honest-to-goodness hookah lounge—
it’s a good break from an otherwise often stifled, insulating time in Sin City.
Plus, it’s just so darn nice to find ethnic food in this town. Kebobs take, the
menu warns, 25 minutes, so order an appetizer plate with various dips to while
away the time. Hummus is too reminiscent of its chickpea origins, but baba
ghanouj is properly smoky, and the falafel has the right crunch. Gyros may not
be the most adventurous thing to order, but who cares about that when you’ve
got a well-stuffed pocket of pita, gloopy with sweet yogurt sauce. Fresenjan is a
dish of falling-apart chicken, swimming in a tangy pomegranate sauce; ask them
to ensure that the ratio of sauce to chicken is greater than 10:1.
4147 S. Maryland Pkwy. (at Flamingo Rd., in the Tiffany Sq. strip mall). & 702/731-6030. Reservations not
accepted. Main courses $8–$16 (all sandwiches under $8). AE, DISC, MC, V. Restaurant Mon–Sat 11am–9pm,
Sun 11am–5pm; lounge Tues–Thurs 5pm–midnight, Fri–Sat 5pm–2am.
Toto’s Kids Value MEXICAN A family-style Mexican restaurant favored
by locals, with enormous portions and quick service, this is good value for your
money. With all that food, you could probably split portions and still be satisfied.
There are no surprises on the menu, though there are quite a few seafood
dishes. Everything is quite tasty, and they don’t skimp on the cheese. The nongreasy
chips come with fresh salsa, and the nachos are terrific. Chicken tamales
got a thumbs-up, while the veggie burrito was happily received by non–meat
eaters (although it’s not especially healthy, all the ingredients were fresh, with
huge slices of zucchini and roasted bell peppers). The operative word here is
huge; the burritos are almost the size of your arm. The generous portions continue
with dessert—a piece of flan was practically pie-size. The Sunday margarita
brunch is quite fun, and the drinks are large (naturally) and yummy.
2055 E. Tropicana Ave. & 702/895-7923. Main courses $6.25–$14. AE, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Thurs
10am–10pm; Fri–Sat 11am–11pm; Sun 9am–10pm.
6 West Las Vegas
EXPENSIVE
Austins Steakhouse Finds STEAK/SEAFOOD Now, understand that
we don’t send you out to nether regions such as Texas Station lightly. We do so