Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Five spots for tempting tempura
Five dishes to try: from a lobster and shrimp meal to dippable shishito peppers
Momofuku
The large-format salt-and-pepper lobster and shrimp may actually be the most decadent tempura dish in town. Intended for three to four guests, it features six tempura-battered lobster tails and 18 shrimp, fried with garlic and chilies and finished with yuzu mayonnaise and soy glaze, $348.
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 702-698-2663, momofuku.com
Sake Rok
One of the cutest tempura presentations in town comes from this festive spot on The Park next door to T-Mobile Arena. The plating of executive chef Sung Park’s vegetable version is inspired by a garden, and arranged so guests almost appear to be “picking” their favorites, $12.
The Park, 702-706-3022, sakeroklv.com
Sushisamba
There’s a different accompaniment for every tempura offering at this Japanese-meets-South American restaurant on the second floor of Palazzo. The shrimp and vegetable version comes with Peruvian pepper and soy dipping sauce, while the rock shrimp version comes with a unique salad, $15-$18.
Palazzo, 702-607-0700, sushisamba.com
ChinaLatina
Chef Beni Velazquez tosses his shishito peppers in tajin salt before frying them tempura style. He then drizzles them with dragon guava teriyaki sauce and ginger soy crema, $6.
4865 S. Pecos Road, chinalatinalv.com
Pin Kaow
This Thai restaurant draws on some American sushi roll traditions in creating its shrimp tempura. The seafood is fried with a dose of cream cheese, and accompanied by plum sauce for dipping, $11.
1974 N. Rainbow Blvd., 702-638-2746, pinkaow.com