This weekly update covers noteworthy restaurant openings and closings, dining news, culinary events, and entertainment news.
Events
10th Anniversary Viva Taco Festival — October 31-November 2
The 10th Anniversary Viva Taco Festival, presented by Mariana’s Supermarkets, will be held at the newly developed Craig Ranch Park soccer fields.
More than 40 taco vendors from across the US will offer authentic regional styles from street to gourmet. Guests can also enjoy Lucha Libre Wrestling performances throughout the weekend; car shows showcasing more than 400 vehicles each day; nighttime entertainment including the Cumbia Queen on Friday and Sol de México on Saturday; Casa De Juliette Tequila Tasting Tent; Día de Muertos Altares Tent displaying altars, art, and tributes honoring loved ones; and YoNuts Chihuahua Beauty Contest and De Castroverde Law Catarina Contest highlighting creativity, costume design, and cultural artistry.
New for 2025, the festival debuts Viva Safe Street—a family-friendly, trick-or-treat experience on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.—a protected space for children and families to enjoy Halloween-night festivities.
Tickets are available at VivaTacoFest.com and at all Mariana’s Supermarkets.
KYU — November 6
KYU at the Fontainebleau will host KYU x Woodson Whiskey: Smoke & Spirit Class, featuring Woodson Whiskey, founded by NFL Hall of Famer Charles Woodson.
Led by KYU Culinary Director Anthony Taormina, the wood-fired cooking class with KYU’s chefs will be followed by a three-course dinner with Woodson Whiskey cocktail pairings including Tuna Crispy Rice, Smoked Bone Marrow Beef Tartare, dessert course and celebratory toast; smoked whiskey tasting and mixology tutorial; two signature Woodson Whiskey cocktails; and gift items of apron, rocks glass, and mini whiskey bottle.
The class and dinner will run from 5 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $120 (plus tax and tip). To purchase tickets, click here.
Sinatra — November 7
Wynn Las Vegas is continuing its fall season Connoisseur by Wynn class lineup of behind-the-scenes experiences with educational classes and immersive demonstrations.
Sinatra’s Executive Chef, Theo Shoenegger, will teach the master class Cooking Frank’s Way. Shoenegger, who knows a thing or two from his time cooking for Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, will demonstrate how to prepare Sinatra’s favorite dishes “his way.” The class will be held at noon at Sinatra at Wynn, followed by a casual lunch.
The cost is $195 per person (plus tax and tip). To reserve, call the Wynn Concierge at 702-770-7070 or email conciergeservices@wynnlasvegas.com.
Pick of the Week: Sagebrush, Las Vegas Marriott Convention Center Drive
Most hotel restaurants in areas that mainly cater to convention-goers offer only basic fare. Still, the new Sagebrush restaurant at the Las Vegas Marriott, at 325 Convention Center Dr., goes several steps further, with a creative, unique menu that is worth a visit even if you are not a hotel guest.
The boutique hotel with 274 rooms is located just steps from the Las Vegas Convention Center, and its Sagebrush restaurant, near the front entrance, offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All of the dishes are the unique creations of Executive Chef Rafael Alejandro, who has been with Marriott for 15 years and gained fine dining experience at the Hotel San Juan (now Fairmont) and the Sheraton in his native Puerto Rico before coming to the mainland and working at Westin Gas Lamp in San Diego and in his current position at Marriott Las Vegas for the past six years.
PC: David Canela
Chef has several years of experience in designing menus featuring a variety of cuisines and is putting that experience to good use here, offering something for everyone. Global flavors are featured in the Korean Wings with soy garlic sauce, Mahi Fish Street Tacos with boom boom sauce and habanero crema, Butternut Squash Risotto with spiced pepitas, Crispy Nigiri seared ahi with crispy sticky rice and furikake, and Lasagna Bianca with shredded chicken and Desert Moon Mushrooms in a four-cheese Alfredo base. Other standouts are the generously portioned 8 oz Sagebrush Burger served with spicy pickles and Sagebrush BBQ sauce, both of which are house made; La Italiana Salad (Chef Rafael’s wife’s favorite) with romaine, arugula, avocado, shaved parmesan, crispy pancetta, and roasted red peppers; Deviled Eggs topped with bacon and caviar; Smoked Salmon Benedict; Short Rib Tacos (braised overnight) served with asiago rice arancini; Egg White Frittata with avocado, Desert Moon Mushrooms, spinach, caramelized onion, tomato, and feta; and Coconut Flan—chef Rafael’s grandmother’s recipe he enjoyed as a kid, with candied walnuts, caramel sauce, and fresh berries.
PC: David Canela
There are several Nevada connections to the restaurant, such as the restaurant being named for Nevada’s state flower, the use of locally grown Desert Moon Mushrooms in some of the menu items, and offering the local Vegas Baby Vodka in the bar’s spirits selection. Another huge nod to supporting local is the beer selection, which gives guests the chance to do one-stop shopping at Las Vegas local breweries. The bar pours 100% local from its six taps, which during my recent visit included Able Baker Atomic Duck IPA, Big Dog’s Tailwagger Wheat, CraftHaus Czech Plz Pilsner and Tropical Forrest IPA, Lovelady Golden Nites Mexican Lager, and Revision Blonde Ale; as well as cans of HUDL Pineapple Hefeweizen, Sin City Amber, and Tenaya Creek Big Dam Brown Ale; and in the gift shop you can find a rotating selection of several six-packs such as Tenaya Creek Hop Charleston and Beer Zombies Duck Hunter IPA. Food and Beverage Operations Manager Ayalah Raphiel says, “People enjoy the local beers, especially the CraftHaus Tropical Forrest Hazy IPA, which is one of the best sellers. I also often send them to some of the local breweries nearby in the Arts District.”
As finding free parking in the area can be challenging, it’s worth noting that complimentary parking is offered if your restaurant tab is $50 or more (except during large conventions, when parking is at a premium).
Sagebrush is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. To view the complete menus, click here, and for info on the hotel, click here.
Recently, on the Food and Loathing Podcast
Be sure to check out Food and Loathing this week (and every week). The podcast features veteran food writer Al Mancini along with co-host Samantha Gemini Stevens and producer Rich Johnson as they give the lowdown on what’s new, hot, and delicious in America’s most glamorous city, as they talk with chefs, bartenders, journalists, and other experts on where to go and what to order when you get there.
For last week’s episode, Al Mancini and Happy Hour Vegas’ Andrew Morgan handle the hosting duties, as Al also muddles through as recording engineer. They both attend the 15th anniversary celebration at Weera Thai, where they observe a blessing by Buddhist monks before interviewing owner Sasi Phothidokmai and manager Chollada “Bo” Hendrix. Other interviews include Chef Mimmo Ferraro, Christina Ellis, the Hard Hat Lounge’s Frank Sidoris, Brezza’s Chef Nicole Brisson, and White Whale’s Walter Cortez. And of course, there’s a report from Andrew Morgan of Happy Hour Vegas, plenty of restaurant reports, and a bunch of news.
To listen, click here.
Dining News
Amador Cocina Fina Opening November 1
Amador Cocina Fina, renowned Chef Oscar Amador’s first solo project, is opening its doors on November 1.
If the name Amador sounds familiar, you’ve likely enjoyed Chef’s EDO Tapas & Wine and Anima by EDO restaurants, both of which have been regarded as some of our city’s finest eateries. Chef Amador, who was born and raised in Barcelona, Spain, was a James Beard finalist for Best Chef: Southwest in 2023 and a semifinalist for the Outstanding Chef award last year. He says the Fina in the name refers to the Spanish word for something done well, and, as his other restaurants have demonstrated his excellence, this project is sure to be stellar as well.
Chef’s EDO Tapas & Wine closed on October 18 to make way for this new restaurant situated in the same space in a strip mall in Chinatown at 3400 S. Jones, Suite 11A. Chef Amador is known for his creative use of high-quality, engaging, and fun fresh ingredients, prepared with care to bring out their natural flavors, and his opening dinner menu shows that it hasn’t changed a bit.
The menu includes Hokkaido Scallop Sashimi with kombu dry aged u12, avocado gazpacho, and horseradish yogurt; Dry Aged Fish Ceviche Del Día with pico de gallo, avocado crema, and fermented vuelve a la vida sauce; Oreja Frita Crispy Pig Ear with chipotle all i oli and sour orange; El Pulpo Spanish Octopus with bone marrow, salted potatoes, and peanut salsa matcha; Oaxacan Quesadilla with black truffle foie gras, squash blossom, corn sofrito, quesillo, and fermented salsa verde; and Pantera Rosa Tres Leches Cake with amarena cherry granita, white chocolate, and Chantilly.
Amador Cocina Fina will be open from Wednesday through Monday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. As the space is relatively small with only 34 seats, reservations are highly recommended. For more details, to view the menu, and to make a reservation, visit www.AmadorCocinaFina.com.
Honey Salt Halloween Weekend Brunch
Honey Salt will bring a Halloween theme to its Weekend Brunch on November 1-2.
Menu standouts include:
- Boo Berry French Toast ($18): cereal-crusted French toast with blood orange compote
- Green Eggs and Ham ($19): fines herb soft scramble with grilled ham steak, melted gruyere, green tomato compote, and dark rye pumpernickel toast
- Witches Brew ($15): Ube Liqueur, Licor 43, and vanilla vodka garnished with a marshmallow spider web and plastic spider.
Costumes are encouraged, and the brunch will be served from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Reservations are available on OpenTable.
Leticia’s Cocina & Cantina to Host Day of the Dead Weekend Specials
Leticia’s Cocina & Cantina will celebrate Día de los Muertos with a limited-time menu honoring traditional Mexican flavors from October 30 through November 2.
Available for dine-in and to-go orders at the Boulder and Santa Fe Station locations, the special menu includes:
- Pan de Muerto ($4): Traditional Mexican sweet bread topped with bone-shaped designs, symbolizing remembrance
- Carne en su Jugo ($17): chopped steak with bacon, onions, and frijoles de la olla cooked in a green sauce and served with tortillas, salsa, lime, and traditional garnishes
- Champurrado ($6): warm, thick Mexican hot chocolate made with masa harina, cinnamon, and piloncillo
- Flor de Maguey ($13): Mezcal, watermelon purée, lime juice, and grapefruit soda with a Tajín rim
- Patrón Silver Shots ($8)
Ferraro’s Marks 40th Anniversary with Special Offers in November
Ferraro’s Italian Ristorante & Wine Bar will celebrate its monumental 40th anniversary, marking four decades of authentic Italian cuisine from its humble beginnings as a six-table deli and pizzeria in 1985 to its current location on Paradise Rd. and being recognized by Gambero Rosso (the international authority on Italian food, wine and culture) as one of the best Italian restaurants in the world in its prestigious Top Italian Restaurants Guide.
To celebrate the landmark anniversary, on Nov. 7, the restaurant will offer classic throwback lunch entrées, including eggplant parmigiana, spaghetti and meatballs, and lasagna, for dine-in priced at $4.99 each (while supplies last and limited to one discounted entrée per guest, per reservation).
In addition, from Nov. 10 through Nov. 13, a curated selection of 10 Italian wines personally chosen by Gino Ferraro will be available for $40 per bottle (regularly $80–$100).
To make a reservation, call (702) 364-5300 or visit www.ferraroslasvegas.com.
Taco Escobar Honoring Día de los Muertos
Taco Escobar will honor Día de los Muertos with three nights of festive food, drink, and revelry from Oct. 31 through Nov. 2.
The Fremont East cantina will have $20 All-You-Can-Eat Tacos (limit four tacos per order, one-hour dining limit); $10 Specialty Cocktails including El Vampiro Rojo—a bloody Paloma-style refresher, Midnight Mezcal Margarita—smoky mezcal with a black salt rim, Horchata de Calabaza—rum, pumpkin, heavy cream, cinnamon, and sugar, and La Sangre Azul—tequila, pomegranate, blueberry, orange, and lime.
There will also be celebratory toasts, vibrant displays of traditional Mexican marigolds, and décor honoring the spirits of ancestors.
Entertainment News
HallOVeen at the Magical Forest
HallOVeen at the Magical Forest is a family-friendly Halloween experience benefiting Opportunity Village, located at 6300 W Oakey Blvd.
Open through November 2 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, the outdoor event is held on the 2.5-acre Magical Forest space, which is decked out with skeletons, pumpkins, and a cemetery filled with hundreds of spooktacularly decorated trees and jack-o-lanterns.
Attendees can enjoy an avalanche slide, 8-hole mini-golf, train rides, a carousel, nightly entertainment, trick-or-treat stations, midway carnival games, shopping at The Holiday Shoppe and Neon Kiosks, dinner and treats inside Camelot Hall or on the main thoroughfare at one of many food outlets, and a beer garden on select evenings.
Tickets for unlimited rides and attractions are $25.00 (plus service fee) for ages four and older, $90 for a 4-pack, and children three and under are free. Tickets do not include midway carnival games, food, beverages, or merchandise.
For more info and to purchase tickets, click here.
