What To Expect at Hecho en Vegas, Opening Dec. 28

So who's behind Hecho en Vegas, the restaurant taking over the Diego space at the MGM Grand? None other than the Flores family, who run El Charro Cafés and Sir Veza's Taco Garage in the Tucson area.

That could be good news for the Mexican culinary scene in Vegas. El Charro Café calls itself "the nation's oldest Mexican restaurant in continuous operation by the same family" and Gourmet says the food there is "A taste explosion." El Charro features traditional Northern Mexico-Sonoran style fare combines with its own brand of Mexican food. Sir Veza's is a bit younger and hipper, serving up craft beers with its Mexican fare. Expect Hecho in Vegas to combine the two.

"It will have the Mexican hot dog, but then it will have a really chocolaty, rich tasting mole," family matriarch Carlotta Flores tells the Arizona Daily Star. "It's a marriage of all the different foods ... with the rich history and culture of our family."

Other dishes to expect include a chimichanga, which USA Today named one of the best plates in America, that features guacamole, pico de charro, red and green enchilada sauce, sour cream, queso casero and arroz y frijoles. Other dishes expected to make the menu include the Tamale Temptation Trio with pork carnitas, chicken tomatillo and fresh corn and Carlotta's Chicken Mole Enchiladas. The family also plans to bring its homemade enchilada sauces, beef birria and salsa tomatillo to Vegas.

The 67-year-old Carlotta Flores says she's been commuting to Vegas since September but has no plans to move here.

The 10,000-square-foot restaurant plans to bow Dec. 28.
· El Charro's Flores Family Opening Restaurant in Vegas [Arizona Daily Star]
· All Coverage of Hecho en Vegas [~ELV~]