In the world of to-the-point restaurant names, it doesn’t get much simpler than Angel’s Fried Rice. This southwest spot—certainly in the running for the smallest restaurant in Las Vegas as it’s more of a take-out foyer than a sit-down place—is indeed brimming with a number of fried rice combinations, and they are cheap. The basic building block is egg-fried rice ($4). One of Angel’s hallmarks is plenty of scrambled eggs. The next step up adds ham for a buck more, and the house special goes all-out with prodigious egg, ham, chicken and shrimp for a less-than-whopping $6. Recently, owner Bob Tang has begun offering char siu (barbecued pork) as a swap-out for the American-style ham. It’s definitely the way to go.
You won’t find moo goo gai pan or General Tso’s chicken at Angel’s. Instead, rice toppings include Taiwanese-style curries including chicken ($5), beef meatballs ($5) and fried shrimp ($6). When I ordered the beef option, Tang suggested adding pineapple. It lent a tropical dimension fitting the island formerly known as Formosa.
The house broth is hot-and-sour soup ($1), dissimilar from other varieties around town since it’s light on vinegar and liberally spiked with black pepper. Also, instead of crispy wontons, pig cracklings come as a topping. Other items include pork belly steamed buns ($3), plain but serviceable, and the sweetest choice on the menu, honey walnut shrimp on fried rice ($6).
Angel's Fried Rice 3655 S. Durango Drive #9, 702-889-0468. Monday-Friday, noon-9 p.m.; Saturday, 3-9 p.m.
