Palazzo’s new pan-Asian restaurant and bar, Mainland, provides an interesting experience, to say the least. The Tokyo-bubblegum-pop décor provides a fun, upbeat ambiance in which to sample new twists on old favorites.

While Mainland bills itself as a noodle restaurant, the real draw is its eclectic group of appetizers, side dishes and drinks. Their menu ranges from ramen to sour coconut fish soup. You have heard of all the food before, but likely not tasted any quite like these.

To start, try the pot stickers. They are freshly made by veteran chef Thomas Charoen using shredded, lean duck and garnished with several unique flavorings. They are, hands down, the best potstickers in the world. Also be sure to try the shrimp toast fritters and the pad thai.

Mainland has a full bar, but the one thing you’re unlikely to find anywhere else is the marshmallow shake. Served in a tall soda fountain glass, this thick, creamy shake is over-flowing with real marshmallows and ice cream and comes garnished with more toasted marshmallows. It is sinfully good, and the one truly unique item on the menu.

While the marshmallow shake is served virgin at Mainland, you might convince the bartender to spike it with some Godiva chocolate liquor, butterscotch schnapps or vanilla vodka.

Other signature drinks include bubble teas of various flavors. For those who haven’t tried bubble teas, they are fruit-flavored drinks, both alcoholic and non, that are half-filled with small tapioca pearls. Mainland provides extra-wide straws through which to imbibe the little delectables. Try the almond-flavored tea for sure.

The atmosphere says a lot about Mainland. It is bright, airy and colorful, providing a pleasant and cheerful dining experience. The tables are mostly semi-circular and family-style, with benches on the inside and outside. The dual, stenciled emblems of Elvis and Chairman Mao are indicative of the flavorful food splashing color upon the communal setting.

Most dishes and drinks are priced from $7 to $15, which is very reasonable for the quality and location, and most are worth every penny. Enjoy your trip.

Buzz Worthy

Marshmallow Shake - Mix six marshmallows, 13.5 ounces of vanilla ice cream and 2 ounces of whole milk (you can experiment with adding various alcohols if you wish). Garnish with toasted
marshmallows, whipped cream and a warm Hershey’s Kiss. Serve in a tall pilsner glass.

MAINLAND

The Shoppes at the Palazzo

Hours

11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday

11a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday

702-414-4300

By Joshua Cohen

Joshua Cohen is a licensed real estate agent with Wilkerson Real Estate and Investments. He can be reached at 702-785-7654.