Colton, California’s Playa Papagayos to the Westside

In another of the occasionally random Las Vegas expansion projects, Coulton, CA’s Playa Papagayo is headed to the Sahara Pavilion, near the intersection of Sahara Avenue and Decatur Boulevard. Peter Piper Pizza were recently revealed as another new tenant headed to that retail center.

With a name translated as "parrot beach," Playa Papagayo will take over a corner, 3,163-square-foot site, formerly home to a Baja Fresh. Chef Alberto Ocampo operates the casual original, featuring spices favored by the southern Mexico state of Guerrero, which results a different set of flavors than more familiar northern Mexican dishes.

Featuring mole sent to him direct from his home town, other house specialties include "Huarache de Carne Asada" and "Fliete de Pescado Empapelado Rellano." Well known for their seafood on Colton’s "restaurant row", other favorites include "panbaso sandwiches" created with a roll dipped in red hot sauce and filled with chorizo, their enchiladas, fish tacos, pozole and menudo. They also serve a full range of authentic Mexico City beverages.

In August, Playa Papagayo were promising an October debut date.