A Bronxite’s mini-guide to exceptional ethnic food spots

I love the Southwest deeply. But being a New York City girl, I still long for the taste of home rather frequently. If you’re like me, you might appreciate this mini-guide to a few local spots that really deliver (no pun intended) on the taste of the Big Apple.

Slice, please?
I’m a huge fan of pizza. Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you that I’d eat it every day if given the chance. So when I moved here about six years ago, I was in crisis mode, having no clue as to where to grab a good slice. Thankfully, I found a couple of spots on par (or close to it) with places in Little Italy in the Bronx, my old hometown.

It didn’t take me long to discover that Broadway Pizzeria makes the best pizza in the valley, hands down. If you disagree with that statement, feel free to recommend a place that rivals it and I’ll check it out. And then I’ll report back.

Broadway Pizzeria at 840 S. Rancho Drive, Suite 8. (View file photo)

Meanwhile, my primary pizza oasis is Broadway at 840 S. Rancho Drive, Suite 8. The eatery also has a location at 8125 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 170, behind Marie Callender’s. I haven’t been to that one yet.

Coming in at a very close second is Metro Pizza. I’ve been to the one at 1395 E. Tropicana Ave. more times than I can count. Cheese lovers might pick Metro over Broadway because it goes heavier on the mozzarella and thicker on the crust. But being from New York City, I enjoy the opposite.

If you’re in a different area of town, Metro also has locations at 4001 S. Decatur Blvd., 4178 Koval Lane, 4111 Boulder Highway inside Boulder Station and 1420 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson. For more information, visit metropizza.com.

There have been other spots where I have had decent pizza. But the experience was merely OK. Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza offers a pretty tasty selection, for instance, but it generally struck me as merely West Coast variations, which is not a bad thing if you’re not a stickler like me.

Real pork fried rice
Oh, the trouble I’ve had in finding decent Chinese food in the Las Vegas Valley. Can I get an amen? For starters, I had to adapt to the fact that venues use the term “chow mein” to identify what we New York natives know as “lo mein.” Evidently, it’s the difference in the way each is prepared that warrants the separate monikers.

In addition, I’ve yet to eat a decent egg roll — one that doesn’t resemble an oil sponge. Also, why is it that only a select number of places offer duck sauce? It flows like the Hudson River back home.

Regardless, my personal staple Chinese food is fried rice, which has a distinct flavor when it’s prepared like it was back east. The closest I’ve ever come to experiencing that flavor in the Las Vegas area is at China A Go Go. It also makes exceptional barbecued pork ribs. I’ve also had the moo goo gai pan and the chicken teriyaki, among other dishes. And I’m always sure to grab some duck sauce on the way out.

China A Go Go has several valley locations. I go to the one at 5841 E. Charleston Blvd.

Prosciutto and mozzarella
Here’s another hard-earned find: Siena Deli. It’s like an exact replica of the delis that dotted my old neighborhood. Sadly, I only recently discovered it, but I am glad I now have a place where I can get a genuine prosciutto and mozzarella sandwich, not to mention some espresso and Italian pastries, such as fresh cannoli. The aromas inside the business alone are worth the trip. There’s also a wide array of other items, such as fresh pasta and all kinds of Italian specialty foods.

The Siena Deli I go to is at 2250 E. Tropicana Ave. Owners also recently opened Siena Italian Authentic Trattoria at 9500 W. Sahara Ave. For more information, visit sienadeli.com and sienatrattoria.com.