Sin City is home to a lot of restaurants and bars, but there are tons of hidden gems that the majority of Las Vegans aren't unearthing. To help guide us to these potential discoveries, we've enlisted some of our city's food players to share their recommendations for a weekly feature dubbed Dining Confidential. Know a chef who wants to share some top dining spots? The tipline is open.
Jacob Coronado [Photo: Michele Popejoy]
Jacob Coronado just jumped on board at Addiction at Rumor Boutique Hotel as executive chef, tasked with re-imagining the menu with his own stamp. He's no stranger to Vegas restaurants. Coronado helped open Wicked Spoon at Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Before that, he opened Zaza, a boutique hotel in Houston where he helped launch The Monarch. He also helped open the hip boutique Wit Hotel in Chicago and was in charge of menu quality and daily specials. Here he shares some of his favorite places to dine when he's not in the kitchen.
Where do you enjoy eating when you're not working?
Honey Pig — Amazing Korean BBQ restaurant.
China Poblano — José Andrés' restaurant in the Cosmopolitan.
Taco El Gordo
What dishes are most memorable?
The Spicy Pork Belly at Honey Pig — The most memorable, must-have dish is the Spicy Pork Belly. I always get it along with the amazing kimchi. After they sit on the griddle for a little bit and develop that delicious char/glaze. The smell, the flavors — it's pure culinary heaven.
China Poblano has the best Pozole I have ever had in my life!
After enjoying my favorite watering hole, I like to finish strong with a tray full of authentic Mexican tacos at Taco El Gordo. My favorite is the lengua (tongue).
Why do you enjoy going there?
In addition to the amazing food at Honey Pig, they have delicious Korean beer with so many selections to choose from! I don't ever leave there without having to loosen my belt a couple of notches.
At Tacos El Gordo, I can't think of any other street food better than tacos de lengua, tripe, pastor, seso (brains) after a long night of indulging in the Las Vegas night life.
China Poblano provides authentic Chinese food, Mexican food and a fusion of both! What more could you ask for?
I love to sample the food around Las Vegas. It helps me to gauge what I like and don't like and infuse that into my cooking. With Addiction, I wanted to create a menu that is simple and fun, but when it arrives at the table, I want it to have a bit of a wow effect. I've tried to showcase my technique in the flavors, the plating and the presentation. Everything is meant to be shared and enjoyed so I've made sure to give hearty portions. I want people to feel as though they just had a four-star meal for a fraction of the price.
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