dining
the dish
Off the eaten path
Sheridan Su has cooked in Michelin-rated restaurants, food trucks, even the back of a beauty salon. Now he’s serving creative Asian-American fare — in a tiny locals’ casino
a By Debbie Lee Photography brent holmes
At first glance, the Eureka Casino is unremarkable. A notch above the city’s ubiquitous video poker taverns — but second-rate to slick Strip properties — the 49-year old slot parlor on East Sahara Avenue still assaults the senses like a typical locals’ casino: with garish carpet, cigarette smoke and the clang of penny slots singing like a siren hungry for a Social Security check. But there’s also a surprising instance of good taste. Past the haze of Newports and promise of progressive jackpots, diners can strike food gold at Fat Choy, where Chef Sheridan Su is eschewing safe bets like shrimp cocktail and prime rib in favor of creative Asian-American fare. You might wonder why Su, 30, would
38 | Desert
Companion | March 2013
Bao before him: Sheridan Su has cooked in some unusual places.
choose to settle in this gritty part of town. The Southern California native not only boasts a degree from the Culinary Institute of America, but also spent six years earning experience and accolades at various high-profile restaurants, including Joël Robuchon at The Mansion, Social House, Wazuzu and Comme Ça.
Wouldn’t his talents be better appreciated on the Strip, or perhaps in the newly gentrified East Fremont Street? “We want to raise the profile of the area,” he says. “Besides Lotus of Siam, the nearest dining options are a couple of overpriced chain restaurants. When I envisioned Fat Choy, I