Chinese Heavyweight Meizhou Dongpo Headed to the Grand Canal Shoppes

Meizhou Dongpo, the upscale Sichuan restaurant with dozens of locations in China, just announced plans to open a flagship 18,000-square-foot location at the Grand Canal Shoppes. The restaurant, which originally opened in Beijing in 1996, takes over a massive space across from Grimaldi’s and next to Ralph Lauren in the swanky side of the shopping mall.

Meizhou Dongpo plans to include Strip views and for the first time in its 19-year history, a lounge. A mixologist comes on board to conjure up "concoctions unique to the city that play up the Chinese history."

The restaurant opened its first U.S. location at the Westfield Mall in Century City, Calif., in Dec. 2013 with a slick and modern club-chic space serving dan dan noodles, pan-fried pork dumplings,  sliced pork ear and the house special, Meizhou roasted duck, presented like Peking duck with rice pancakes, scallions, cucumbers and duck sauce. The restaurant dubs its flavors as "upscale civilian dishes."

In China, the restaurant catered the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. Expect a Las Vegas opening in 2016.