Even Alex Stratta Likes Cheap Dinners. He Shares Three of His Favorites

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.

You know Alex Stratta. He had his two Michelin-starred Alex at Wynn Las Vegas, tempting the world with his dazzling dishes. That closed in 2011 and since, Stratta bounced around at Scarpetta in Los Angeles and Marche Bacchus in Desert Shores. Now the fifth-generation hotelier with Italian and French heritage, who spent his youth traveling from Southeast Asia to the Mediterranean, has Tapas by Alex Stratta at Tivoli Village. Stratta cut his culinary teeth at Monaco’s legendary Louis XV, where he rose to chef de partie; New York’s Le Cirque, where he worked under Daniel Boulud; Mary Elaine’s at the Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, where he achieved his first executive chef position at the age of 23; finally arriving in Las Vegas to first open Renoir at the Mirage, and then Alex and Stratta at Wynn. Even with his fine dining palate, Stratta still enjoys cheap eats. Here, he shares three of his favorites, covering Vietnamese and Mexican cuisines.

Which restaurants do you turn to for an inexpensive meal when you’re not working?
District One Kitchen & Bar, Pho So 1 and Los Antojos.

What dishes are most memorable?
I love chicken pho at Pho So 1, simple rich flavorful broth with lots of fresh herbs and lime. Squid and green papaya salad at District One has fish sauce, chili flakes, peanuts and garlic. The beef tacos at Los Antojos are a perfect mix of cilantro, chiles and charred onions.

Why do you enjoy going there?
I go there because the people are genuine and I don't get a tasting menu forced on me!!