Craving Asian food? At local casinos, you’re in luck

Regardless of where you go to gamble in Southern California, you’ll notice a growing number of Asian visitors.

An article published last year in the Casino City Times about Pechanga Resort & Casino reported that half of the patrons at the Temecula resort are either Asian-American or Asian tourists.

And gamblers gotta eat, so it’s no coincidence that virtually every Southern California casino now has one, if not more, Asian-themed eating establishments.

Here’s a roundup of the Asian fare at a casino near you:

Barona Resort & Casino, Lakeside

Barona’s Ho Wan Noodle Shop has the distinction of being the region’s only restaurant serving Asian food on the casino floor, so gamblers don’t have to leave their slot machines or table games when hunger strikes. “Ho Wan” means “good luck” in Chinese. Its Pan-Asian menu includes Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese cuisines. Barona’s Seasons buffet also offers dim sum and Asian food stations, and the 24-hour Sage Café has an extensive Asian menu. 1932 Wildcat Canyon Road, Lakeside. (619) 443-2300. barona.com

Casino Pauma

While there’s no dedicated Asian restaurant at Casino Pauma, The Cafe serves a half-dozen Chinese and Thai dishes, including ramen, pad thai, udon, orange chicken and Mongolian beef. The Grove Buffet serves an Asian-themed buffet menu every Thursday. 777 Pauma Reservation Road, Pauma Valley. (760) 742-2177. casinopauma.com

Harrah’s Resort Southern California, Valley Center

Originating at the Harrah’s resort in Las Vegas, KJ Chinese Restaurant opened its third location in mid-2016 at Harrah’s in Valley Center. The casual, all-day menu features an extensive variety of authentic Chinese dishes, including fresh seafood selections, dim sum and more. 777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. (760) 751-3100. harrahssocal.com

Hollywood Casino, Jamul

San Diego’s newest casino is in the midst of rebranding, but its Asian restaurant will not change. Emerald Chinese Cuisine, a casual, all-day eater, serves traditional fried rice, chow mein, noodle soup and plated entrees along with a few Thai and Vietnamese dishes. 14145 Campo Road, Jamul. (619) 315-2250. hollywoodcasinojamul.com

Pala Casino Spa & Resort, Pala

Noodles Asian Restaurant is a quick-service restaurant serving authentic dishes from China, Vietnam, Thailand and Japan. The moderately priced Sushi Sake offers both sushi bar seating and tables and is known for its selection of sakes. There’s also a grab-and-go counter for eating on the casino floor. There are also Asian food stations at the Choices Buffet. 11154 Highway 76, Pala. (877) 946-7252. palacasino.com

Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula

With this month’s unveiling of the new Lobby Bar & Grill, Pechanga now has 13 restaurants, and three of them are dedicated to Asian food. Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar is an upscale dinner house serving an extensive Japanese menu of raw shellfish, sushi and sashimi as well as cooked seafood and non-swimming proteins. Bamboo is a casual, all-day Pan-Asian restaurant offering Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese specialties such as congee, noodle dishes, bento boxes and BBQ. And Blazing Noodles is an all-day casual restaurant that mixes Chinese, Thai and Western cuisines. Grazers at the Pechanga Buffet can also find a selection of Asian hot food stations. 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. (888) 732-4264. pechanga.com

Sycuan Casino, El Cajon

Wachena restaurant serves an eclectic international menu that includes a handful of Thai and Filipino favorites and a large slate of Chinese dishes, including soups, fried rice and noodle selections as well as traditional plated favorites. And Paipa’s Buffet offers a variety of Asian food stations. 5469 Casino Way, El Cajon. (619) 333-2639. sycuan.com

Valley View Casino & Hotel, Valley Center

Stix, which opened in 2015, is a quick-service “noodles and more” food court eatery, serving a limited menu of soup, sushi, ramen, pho and rice bowl dishes priced from $5.50 to $13. BLD’s Cafe serves 10 Chinese and Thai specialty dishes, including lo mein, fried rice, kung pao chicken and pad thai. And The Buffet offers Asian food stations serving noodle and rice dishes, tofu and fried shrimp and more. 16300 Nyemii Pass Road, Valley Center. (760) 291-5500. valleyviewcasino.com

Viejas Casino, Alpine

In February, Viejas opened the new Ginger Noodle Bar as part of its new luxury hotel tower expansion project. Chef Antonio Votta, formerly of San Francisco’s MINA Test Kitchen, has overseen the menu of the casual, all-day Pan-Asian eatery, serving a mix of Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese and other dishes. 5000 Willows Road, Alpine. (619) 445-5400. viejas.com