Las Vegas Mixtape v10: U2 Sphere Takeover, Swap Meet Thrills, and Neon Feast Smarts

Track #2: Palette Tea Lounge & Dim Sum @Chinatown

Driving along Spring Mountain Rd at night, the beautifully lit exterior of the new Palette Tea Lounge & Dim Sum comes commandingly into view.

Step inside the eatery (the third location of the Northern CA-originated chain) to fall under the spell of the dining room’s gorgeously playful splashes of color and creative cuisine that makes good on its boast of a “modern approach to dim sum, seafood, Cantonese roast meats, and traditional Chinese cooking.”

It was love at first bite with the pork soup dumplings (freshly made behind the glass-enclosed kitchen), the chicken pot stickers (served stuck together in a pan), the light-as-a-feather Wagyu beef fried rice, and the crispy-but-softly-textured honey walnut shrimp.

The dishes are artfully plated (especially the vegetable spring rolls); the menu is reasonably priced (compared to the Strip); and, true to its moniker, there’s a smart selection of tea, including aged chrysanthemum. Palette is more than an impressive addition to Chinatown Vegas—it’s a total winner.