Mandalay Bay’s Joyce Anne Bucad Divulges Her Favorite Las Vegas Restaurants

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 readers to these potential discoveries, Eater Vegas enlisted some of the city’s food players to share their recommendations for a feature dubbed Dining Confidential.

Joyce Anne Bucad, the assistant pastry chef of Mandalay Bay discovered her love of baking during her childhood in the Philippines, but she got her career in Las Vegas. The culinary newcomer worked with Hubert Keller early into her career, but now she assists the resort with creating desserts, personalized amenities, and showpieces. She recently won an episode on the Food Network’s Chopped, securing her status as a rising star in the city. Here she shares her favorite restaurants in Las Vegas.

Amelinda B Lee

Do you remember your first trip to Vegas? What happened that was memorable?

Yes. It was my first trip to Vegas was my last. It was so memorable that I decided to stay. I fell in love with the glittering lights of the city and its 24-hour lifestyle.

What made you decide to move to Las Vegas?

I decided to move to Vegas for two reasons: to re-connect with my mom, who moved to the United States from the Philippines 13 years prior, and to pursue my true passion and on-going love affair with food.

Where do you like to eat breakfast in Las Vegas? Any dishes you recommend?

For breakfast, I like Della’s Kitchen at Delano. I highly recommend the huevos rancheros and the blue crab Benedict. These are my favorites!

What about lunch? Any dishes you recommend?

For lunch, there’s a few places in town that I go to frequently. I really like Burger Bar at Mandalay Place. I recommend the build your own burger with a side of their delicious zucchini fries and the pink monkey milkshake. Another place I really enjoy Meraki Greek Grill. I love their avgolemono, which reminds me a lot of a Filipino dish called arroz caldo. I also get the classic chicken gyro with tomatoes, red onion and an amazing tzatziki sauce. Finally, I enjoy dim sum at Chang’s Hong Kong Cuisine. You have to try their siu mai, barbecue pork steam buns, and the beef tripe with radish.

If you’re going out for dinner, which restaurants do you like to frequent? What makes them special? Any dishes you can recommend?

My family and I love D’ Pinoy Joint, a small Filipino Restaurant in town. What makes this place special is the ambience and the food. Somehow, they manage to make me feel at home and comfortable. Filipino food will always be near and dear to my heart and they serve up all my favorites. The crispy pata, a deep-fried pork leg served with a soy-vinegar sauce; the garlic fried rice; sinigang, a hot tamarind-base sour soup with vegetables and your choice of pork, beef, or fish; and a must-try is their mouth-watering sizzling bistek tagalog, thinly-sliced beef with a lemon-soy sauce and onions.

Are there any brunches in town you like to frequent? Any dishes you recommend?

For brunch, my family and I frequent Jamms Restaurant. It’s a popular breakfast spot that serves wholesome food and good service. I always get their chicken fried steak and eggs and their famous pot of bread; you’ve got to try it!

Let’s say you want to hang out with your friends after work. Where do you like to go?

My friends and I always hang out at District One Kitchen & Bar. The oxtail fries are amazing and pair perfectly with any of their hand-crafted cocktails. Another favorite is Herbs & Rye. Great ambience and drink selections.

• All Dining Confidentials [ELV]