Ceviche
Holding a tart marg with a salt rim in one hand and a warm, house-made tortilla chip with a heaping scoop of salsa in the other might just be the secret to happiness. After all, how could you feel down while crunching salty snacks and quenching your thirst with a refreshing beverage?
When you order chips and salsa at ¡VIVA! by Ray Garcia, you’ll be delighted when presented with fresh-fried heirloom corn tortillas and über-garlicky salsa tatemada, which draws its bold flavors from the charring of its ingredients. Make sure to pair it with the ¡VIVA-Rita!, simply made with blanco tequila, fresh lime and agave and topped with salt air foam. It puts an inventive twist on a well-loved classic—something you’ll grow to expect from the chef.
L.A. native Garcia creates vibrant modern dishes influenced by his Mexican-American heritage. The chef’s creativity shines on this menu, with starters like ceviche with yellowtail, cucumber, leche de tigre and puffed rice; and chicharrones, which not only include pork rinds, but also come with chicken skins, crab chips, shrimp chips and duritos (a puffed wheat snack), served with a habanero hot sauce.
If tacos tickle you, the Baja tacos here are a must. Made with shrimp, chorizo remoulade, escabeche and cabbage slaw, they’re packed with bold flavors that balance each other—from the saltiness of the chorizo-infused sauce to the punchy pickled vegetables.
Steak and lobster
Mains include the delicious enchiladas de pollo, enchiladas stuffed with succulent chicken and requesón (a cheese that’s creamy like ricotta but is slightly more acidic and salty, adding a touch of tanginess to the savory dish), feta and red onion. Carne cravers will be delighted to find three exceptional steak options; an 8-ounce wagyu skirt steak, an 8-ounce, 21-day wet aged filet mignon and a 16-ounce, 14-day dry aged New York strip, all served with Mexican barbecue staples like sweet peppers, cebollitas (otherwise known as really yummy grilled green onions) and roasted tomato. You can add a half a lobster to any of these.
Veggie lovers, fear not; one of the most imaginative dishes on this menu is just for you. The vegan tamal stuns with its combination of calabacitas (a tasty combination of zucchini, squash and onions), edamame mole verde, olive relish and vegan feta. And stop in for lunch to enjoy the vegan coliflór al pastor tacos, which feature roasted cauliflower, cashew crema and grilled pineapple.
Make sure you leave room for dessert because you’ll have a hard time choosing just one. The fresas con crema offers a refreshing and rich finish with strawberries, mascarpone crema, meringue and Jamaica syrup, a flavorful sauce made with dried hibiscus. Another standout can be found in the helados section; a corn tortilla ice cream, which is sweet and creamy but also gains a lovely texture from its main ingredient.
Don’t Miss: The specially curated, extensive collection of tequila and mezcal features labels you know and love, as well as plenty of new sips to savor.
Resorts World Las Vegas, 702.676.6020, rwlasvegas.com
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