Julian Serrano Tapas is a
tapas restaurant in
Las Vegas, Nevada in the
United States. Owned by
Julian Serrano, it's located inside the
Aria Resort and Casino and is Serrano's second restaurant in Las Vegas after
Picasso
Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...
.
History
Julian Serrano wanted to open a Spanish-style restaurant for over a decade. In 2009,
MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International is an American global hospitality and entertainment company operating destination resorts in Las Vegas, Massachusetts, Detroit, Mississippi, Maryland, and New Jersey, including Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, and Pa ...
offered Serrano a contract to open a restaurant at the new
Aria Resort and Casino. Serrano agreed to the restaurant contract as long as he could have a
tapas restaurant. Serrano traveled to Spain to find a designer for the restaurant. The design firm Gente de Valor was selected. Serrano traveled to DC to meet chef Jose Lopez Picazo, a fellow chef from Madrid. Lopez Picazo was hired as chef.
The restaurant's first menu tasting took place before the kitchen was operational. Executives from MGM and Serrano tasted between 25 and 30 dishes in 40 minutes. The restaurant opened a few weeks later to 600 guests on the first day.
Design and ambiance
The restaurant is located in the lobby of the Aria Resort and Casino.
Designed by Gente de Valor and Serrano, the restaurant represents "the vibrant culture of my country" and needed "a good sense of balance" according to Serrano.
Cuisine and beverages
The restaurant serves contemporary versions of Spanish-style
tapas with occasional
Asian fusion influences. Dishes include
paella (including a vegan option);
ahi tuna tempura with seaweed salad and avocado-
rocoto
''Capsicum pubescens'' is a plant of the genus ''Capsicum'' (pepper). The species name, ''pubescens'', refers to the hairy leaves of this pepper. The hairiness of the leaves, along with the black seeds, make ''Capsicum pubescens'' distinguishab ...
-mayo and ponzu sauce; marinated olives; stuffed
piquillo peppers
The piquillo pepper is a variety of Chili pepper, chili, ''Capsicum annuum'', having a sweet taste with little to no heat, fruits about 7 cm long, well suited for growing in pots, that is traditionally grown in Northern Spain near the town of Lodo ...
; grilled calamari; ribs made from
Black Iberian pigs; salmon with truffle bechamel sauce and mushrooms; squid-ink rice with chicken and saffron, lobster with roasted red peppers; and empanadas.
The dessert menu includes
torrija with salted caramel and vanilla ice cream.
The bar offers multiple types of
sangria.
Cocktails include the Piña Smash, pineapple purée, simple syrup, mint and lime. The bar also serves
carajillo
A ''carajillo'' () is a hot coffee drink to which a hard liquor is added. It is typical of Spain and several Latin American countries, such as Colombia, where it is usually made with brandy, Cuba, where it is usually made with rum, and some are ...
, a Spanish after dinner drink made with
xtabentún. The wine list comprises mainly Spanish wines.
Reception
Zagat rates Julian Serrano Tapas as having a 4.5 out of 5 for food and 4.4 out of 5 for decor and service.
''Time Out'' gives the restaurant 4 out of 5 stars.
References
External links
*{{official, https://www.aria.com/en/restaurants/julian-serrano.html
Restaurants in Las Vegas, Nevada
2010 establishments in Nevada