Las Vegas Restaurants

We tend to get a little snobby about Mexican restaurants, particular those in casinos, because so often they seem careless. But unless you absolutely do not consider Mexican food anything other than a specific form of Southern California burrito, you really should try this new establishment run by Richard Sandoval, who specializes in "modern Mexican cuisine." This means dishes both traditional and with potentially dangerous twists, but since the place starts with handmade tortillas and heads right to guacamole made on demand, it's all trustworthy, even if some of that guac contains lobster and passion fruit (it's a sweet and curious take on tradition). Roast pork pipian with tamarind marinade and pumpkin-seed sauce is a lovely dish, as are the needlessly fried (though pleasantly crunching) beef empanadas with dried cherries and chipotle tomato sauce -- a mix of sweet and spiced. For the more timid, there is a nice assortment of particularly good tacos and burritos. They also have a charming dessert menu, with Mexican themes both culinary and visually, like a chocolate cactus stuck into a fudge hill, to complement the caramel cupcakes. The largest collection of tequila in Vegas and a slightly modern nightclub interior remind you that dining in Vegas is still a gimmick.

- Frommer's