Recently we had the pleasure of being invited out to the Seminole Hard Rock to try out their new noodle bar at Jubao Palace. Having opened in December we have been trying to get ourselves over to the casino to check it out, and this past Saturday we did. We headed over around 11 as the website states they are open daily from 11-2 but were sad to see this:
With an hour to kill in a casino, I guess we would just have to gamble (twist our arms) We couldn’t decide if this was a ploy by the Hard Rock to get people to spend money while waiting but it certainly worked for us. And it worked out for Nicholas too, who wound up winning $188 playing slots. Yahh.. we’ll take the delayed opening for an extra 2 hundo. Around 11:45 we took a seat at the noodle bar to ensure we had a seat when it re-opened. We were greeted by Anna who took our drink orders. We decided to pass on the chrysanthemum tea and get a regular iced Tea and a lemonade. We took a look at the menu and with some guidance from Anna we agreed to split the beef chow fun, fried dumplings and chicken fried rice. While our food was being prepared we took a look around. The bar has only about 15 seats or so and it filled up quickly. Within about 10 minutes there were only 3 or 4 seats left around us. The kitchen is totally open so you can see your food as it’s being made and you can also see the ducks hanging in the window (ahh)
In a short amount of time our first course was up- the fried dumplings. It came with 5 dumplings and was a good way to get our pallets ready for the rest of the Asian cuisine that was on it’s way. Being sushi pros, we used our chop sticks and dug right in. Ryan went first and I’m glad he did. He said the dumplings were really hot and for us to wait a few minutes. Those few minutes felt like torture with the delicious looking dumplings staring us in the face. Once they had cooled off it was time to grub. After the dumplings were devoured it was onto the chicken fried rice and beef chow fun.
Anna had definitely steered us in the right direction. While chicken fried rice is an Asian staple, we were certainly happy to order the beef noodle dish (it is a “noodle bar” after all) They don’t skimp you on the beef either. In fact, after looking around at what the other diners were eating, it didn’t seem like they skimp on anything. The soup bowls were massive and the other noodle and rice meals were piled high. We made a great decision sharing between us and we suggest you do the same. Once our stomachs were full we took a minute to rest and enjoy the atmosphere before heading out. The noodle bar sits right on the edge of the casino floor so it’s a perfect place to grab a quick bite between your hands of blackjack. The noodle bar is part of Jubao Palace which includes Asian games such as Pai Gow Tiles, Asia Poker, and Baccarat. Once our bill was paid (thank you Seminole Hard Rock!!!) we made our way through the casino floor and back to the parking garage.
I always have a great time when I go to the Hard Rock and the fact that we left with a little money in our pocket (and by we I mean Nicholas) and a stomach full of great Asian food didn’t hurt. Not bad for a Saturday in Tampa Bay. So if you’re at the Hard Rock during lunch time take a gamble on the Jubao Palace Noodle Bar- you’ll be sure to come out a winner.
🙂 Allison
NHIE Guys 