The Viva Taco Festival is the largest Dia de Metros Taco Festival in Nevada (Or maybe it’s the only? Dia de Metros Taco Festival in Nevada?). In 2024 it took place November 1st-November 3rd in Craig Ranch Park in NORTH LAS VEGAS Nevada. Besides tacos depending on when you were there you might have caught – a Carnival, lucha Libra Westling, a Taco Eating Contest, a Car Show, Mariachi, and Dancers (Some of these events required an additional cost).
Not sure what happened this year……This event is only a small faction of the size that it was last year….
This is what I saw.
Not all but many of the venders weren’t ready to open for the festival.
Mexican Supermarket Tacos
That was my trip to the-
Viva Taco Festival 2024 by Project Taco (at Craig Ranch Park)
USA Today Wine and Food Experience is a food and adult beverage festival with music and live demonstrations. This year it happens on 900 E Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas Saturday October 12TH.
These were the latest list of expected food venders-
Others such as The Golden Tiki, Echo & Rig, Ferraro’s Ristorante, North Italia were on the list when I purchased my tickets. I didn’t notice Bowltastic or Craving Creole there but it is possible that I missed them?
Anyways
between my husband and me we got to sample almost everything food available. There was lots of wine and booze but we skipped that because it was 95 degrees here so it was too hot to enjoy booze outside.
First bite was something steak with Chile crisp from Project BBQ that was tasty and tender.
Next bite was very different than what I enjoyed from this restaurant previously.
Crack Shack Chicken sandwich was cold, unseasoned, and tough……
Peinto Thai served cold orange chicken, cold chicken wings, OK Asian pasta and fried rice.
Evel Pie served Pizza Cup Cakes
Off The Vine served only two vegan empanadas every 15 minutes……So almost nobody got to try this……..
Anima By Edo served very good detailed crab appetizers
Slater’s 50/50 was serving bacon macaroni and cheese balls and had the longest line of all the food venders.
But their balls were dry inside.
California Fish grill served a reasonably good mini fish platter.
Caviar Cartel Club served Italian Beef Sandwiches that weren’t so flavorful.
Not the best funnel cakes from Braud’s Funnel cake cafe (heavy and only a little powdered sugar)
Scallop plate from Water Grill Seafood Co
Refrigerator COLD pork sliders from Grillin McMillian
I am not planning on attending this festival next year.
Vegas Unstripped is a gathering of most of Las Vegas’s most acclaimed and creative chefs.Tickets were $150. a person and included unlimited bites and sips. The 2024 Food festival was held at the Palms Casino Resort on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada,
The expected participating chefs are-
Here’s a little taste of Unstripped 2024.
The above pork belly, cauliflower mousse, stuffed mushrooms with pickled peppers were one of my husband’s favorite bites of the night.
Monzu Italian sort of roast Italian cheese like it’s a piece of meat and it melts on slices of bread below each cheese. Then they offer a few sweet toppings like fig and pear mostarda….and a spicy one like Calabrian pepper to make interesting flavors on the cheese topped artisan bread.
This was more exciting to watch as the sun went down.
Monzu also made chicken gizzards with some sort of eggplant.
Above is braised rabbit some from Milpa.
Above is a braised duck ravioli from La Strega , Harlo Steakhouse
Above is a smoked brisket, cheese, potato pierogi from Mabels BBQ
Above is a chicken enmolado from Aroma Nation American Cocina.
Above is sausage and picked vegetables from 1228 Main. (This was another of my husband’s favorites)
Urbani Truffles is a Pop-Up Restaurant located in Eataly (The Italian Food Marketplace) in the Park MGM Casino/Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. Urbani Truffles is only here for Truffle Season November-February so your time is limited. They offer a limited menu but every dish contains black Urbani Truffles. On the menu are – Antipasti, hand made pasta dishes, and main meals called Piatti. Italian wines and beers are served here. They have limited counter seating and a few high-top cocktail tables. This is a first come first served type of restaurant. They don’t take reservations.
We shared the Burrata.
The milky burrata was paired with kabocha squash, squash rings, some colorful fancy leaves, a few other things, and lots of shaved black Urbani Truffles. There also was grilled house made sourdough bread on the side. This was my favorite of the dishes I tried. I thought the truffles went well with everything and this dish had a lot going on with it.
When in Eataly you share a pasta.
We shared the Agnolotti Piemontesi.
It’s perfectly house-made pasta stuffed with Calabro Ricotta and in a truffle butter and topped with shaved truffles……(What’s not to like?) I thought it also was a good sized portion for two people.
For our Piatti (main) we shared the Filetto Di Manzo. (R.R. Ranch Beef Tenderloin with Mashed Celery Root, Carrots, Red Wine Reduction, Urbani Truffle Butter, Urbani Black Truffle Sauce, and Shaved Urbani Black Truffles.
The steak is very tender and is infused with good flavors……Carrots are great and the celery root mash is good…..I don’t get the truffles here as much as in the other dishes but it was fun to try.
Urbani Truffles Pop-Up Restaurant – Get in before it’s gone!
The Great Las Vegas Taco Festival was held at Craig Ranch Park in NORTH LAS VEGAS Nevada October 27-29TH 2023. Besides TACOS there were all kinds of things like a car show, carnival rides, margaritas, eating contests, a chihuahua beauty contest, craft venders and MORE! (If you were there the right day and right time)
We tried ………
An award wining mango habanero taco and a bulgogi beef taco from El Chino.
Both tacos are tasty but the spicy chicken taco is the one to get here….It really developed with lots of delicious flavors.
Next we try
the chicken and rib eye tacos from 911 Tacos & Beer.
Both tacos had ingredients in them that wasn’t in their description on their sign…..But still both are tasty and flavorful with tender fillings.
We also tried El Fuego Tacos.
We tried an asada and a chicken taco. These ran extra salty today. I can’t eat either taco.
Moving on
FINALLY fish tacos
From Ole Manny’s Seafood Shack we tried a shrimp and a fish taco and their hot habanero salsa.
Both are good…..The taco shells are the tastiest so far on these. The fish is fried perfect and seems free of oil….It’s tricky figuring out on how much salsa to use here because the salsa is extra strong but the right amount of drops makes it very good.
Going to fit in one more taco.
We tried a chipotle chicken and a birria taco from Slanging Tacos.
These both have extra tasty shells with lots of flavor to them….These both also are larger tacos with lots of filling…… The chicken taco is very tasty but it’s the tasty sauce and tasty shell that is delicious…..The chicken needs those flavors to be good. The birria is good but you have to buy the consume separately.
That was what we tried at The Great Las Vegas Taco Festival
The USA Today Wine & Food Festival was held Saturday October 28TH in Trivoli Village in the Summerlin part of Las Vegas Nevada. The tickets were general admission and VIP. The VIP tickets got you in one hour early (12:00), a few more tables to sit at and entitled you to more wines to pick from, and two additional tastings.
One tasting was
prosciutto wrapped grapes
and the other was
black Angus filet with squid ink risotto topped with shrimp from Harlo Steakhouse.
Everyone could try the following.
I thought among the best tastes today TWO came from Ichiza……One was an Asian beef dish with rice that was delicious and tender. The other was some sort of layered cracker with two kinds of fish (I think both were tuna) One layer was a fish with a curry sauce. The other was seasoned with rice.
To me the very best bite of the festival came from Anima By Edo.
It was all high quality and unusually delicious together. Wagyu pastrami, torrija, caciocavalla cheese, port balsamic glaze.
One thing was not edible…to me ….and also my husband………
This Angus beef from Kuta Nori almost made me sick from too much salt…….It seemed saltier than straight salt.
There were a few more things that were good or ok.
My husband ate something shrimp from The Crab Corner.
This swai from California Fish Grill wasn’t so good over uninspired rice.
Hussong’s Mexican Cantina made pretty good Margaritas. I didn’t try the Duck appetizers but I heard that they were pretty good.
Goufrais Southern Californian Chocolate taste like thick chocolate frosting to me.
My husband tried a tiny pulled pork slider. He said it was ok. I didn’t catch where it came from but I think it was from Project BBQ.
In The Black Cookie Company made a variety of cookies….With nuts, nut free, and gluten free varieties…….Tried a few that were ok.
Crossroads Kitchen offered plant based meat-like cigars that were tasty and a pastry with onion, almond, and a vegetarian egg.
If you are here at the right time you might catch some demos.
Crazy Pita arrived late. I tried part of a pita with hummus spread on it. They told me that they were preparing meat dishes that will be ready later.
Evel Pizza offered BBQ beef pizza
Soul Foo Young was a no show.
Refrigerator chilled pork sandwiches from Sr Frog. And something crab in the other cups.
Lots of sliced meats, cheeses, fruit, crackers and more at Boar’s Head.
And some of the cheese comes with rind.
That was a little Taste of USA Today Wine & Food 2023 Las Vegas
Vegas Unstripped is about 30 of Las Vegas’s most acclaimed and creative chefs. This is an “OFF THE STRIP EVENT” downtown in the Arts District on California Street Between Ester’s Kitchen and Garagiste Saturday October 14 2023 7pm – 10. Tickets were $150., They include unlimited tastes and also include cocktails, and are non profit.
www.VegasUnstripped.com listed the chefs that are expected.
Nearly all the foods that we’ve tried was next level FORKING AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! There was more food and drink than I could do but all but one thing I tried was over the top amazing! Also not all of my photos came out but here are most.
frogs legs
Asian style chicken
Tuna pasta adorned with burnt kimchi aioli
guacamole and salsa macha tostada – YUM!
tuna tostada – YUM!!!
Really complex flavors from this chicken wrap
vegetarian African food – delicious
That Korean fried chicken really just melted in your mouth. The hamachi was also delicious.
I didn’t try this one but my husband said that this was very VERY VERY Good!
I have to say that this was the very best barbacoa I’ve ever tried.
Amazing flavors here.
LOOK at the way they melt that incredible cheese on their amazing bread.
I was looking forward to this..because this is from a Bravo Top Chef….but passed because the short rib was rabbit. My husband did try it and said the flavors were very interesting.
Very good food from another Bravo Top Chef.
We both thought that the potato was super amazing!
Yelp is a review site that many people use to find out about or write about local businesses. I’ve been invited to many Yelp events. I usually don’t go because they usually are at a time that isn’t convenient for me or sometimes that are on the other side of town. This one wasn’t too far and was at a time that I could do. This one benefited Miracle Flights. They asked for an optional $20. donation and around 40 local businesses offered treats, drinks, entertainment, and photo opps.
This particular Yelp Event has a Space Cowboy Theme.
There was all kinds of foods to try and acrobats were swinging from the ceilings.
Here are just a few of the food tables.
What it’s really all about is supporting and reviewing local businesses.
Seafood City is a Filipino Supermarket Chain with locations in California, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, and Washington.They also have Canadian locations in Ontario, Alberta, and Manitoba.
The North Las Vegas Location has a bakery inside called Red Ribbon Bakeshop.
They also have a Filipino BBQ called Grill City.
We decided to try Grill City.
There is a lot to see. Some of the pans are marked but with no explanation so some people have to use cell phone for google. Saw Balut here…….(undeveloped bird eggs).
They don’t sell skewers by the each and you have to buy five. My husband got a mix of pork and chicken skewers. He also got a longanisa sausage skewer.
He said that the meat on the skewers was tender but wasn’t a fan of the sweet sauce on them. He did like the sausage!
I saw 4 different fish dishes and picked the fish that I thought looked best and an ear of corn. We also shared a side order of rice.
This fish turned out to be grilled bangus. It’s also known as vinegar marinated milkfish served with spicy vinegar on the side.
This one is stuffed with onions, tomatoes, and peppers…..At first I didn’t like it but for some reason it did taste better when I added the spicy vinegar. The meat is a little dry but not hard and chewy like from the last Filipino restaurant I went to.
The corn is on the dried out side too.
We are done with lunch and are looking around some. There are lots of dry goods, baked goods, produce, and fish here. I saw prepared foods, live plants, and liquor too!
LOTS of fish here.
Surprisingly it doesn’t smell like fish here.
I’m going to buy halibut collars next time.
There is lots of milkfish here and lots of frozen milkfish here.
milkfish in citrus pepper
smoked milkfish
milkfish belly
Not all but some of the potato chips are very expensive.
$20.89 for an 8 oz bag of potato chips…My husband said he read duck eggs were an ingredient.
They also sell pig heads here.
We bought salmon here that seemed very fresh and my husband smoked it on aider wood and it came out really great! We also bought bok choy that was very good.
Bravo’s Top Chef contestant Chef Gene Villatora has a well known popular Hawaiian Street Food Restaurant in California called Ai Pono. Late this year (2023) a Nevada opening is expected at the Durango Casino and Resort that is soon to open. I heard about the pop up and wanted to give this a try. There might be over a thousand people here.
It really is a big deal. Channel 3 was filming.
Saw Chef Villatora was actually working the line.
By the time we made it to order they ran out of the platter that I was the most excited to try.
So we tried a bunch of other things and even the secret menu item. We only tried Da Side Chick and the guava chili pepper fried chicken for lunch.
Da Side Chick—-Tasty and delicious and priced not much higher than fast food from a Bravo Top Chef ($10.)
Guava chili pepper fried chicken – large portion tasty and the rice and slaw is especially notable. Also priced like regular Hawaiian plate lunches but much better than most.
Later for dinner we got to try some more.
Ahi Katsu with miso hot mustard breading and sweet soy reduction……Not bad but not my favorite…maybe it’s just better when you get this one fresh and right away?
This is the crackhead chicken that was marinated for 24 hours with a secret batter and a garlic-coconut-miso glaze…….The chicken is very tender and developed with flavor. The glaze does sound amazing but maybe didn’t travel well?
This one only my husband tried……..it was the surprise meal. We were told it was something fish.
We think it’s more guava chili chicken and it’s over some sort of meat chili with beans. The chicken is good. My husband said that the chili flavoring is very unusual.
The strong favorite was the da side chick sandwich.
You can visit Ai Pono in California or wait for the Durango Opening.
That was my trip to the Ai Pono Pop Up at Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas NV.
