Dining Pick of the Week: Mercadito
Mercadito
Red Rock Resort, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd., 702-979-3609
Mercadito brings a new twist to Mexican cuisine at Red Rock Resort. The casual restaurant seats 165, including the patio. Brick and wood dominate the space, with diffused lighting running behind the banquet seating in the main room. But you’re here for the food, right? The menu features a variety of small plates starting at $9.50. Flautas are $10.50 and feature crispy rolled tortillas, chicken tinga, black beans and tomatillo salsa. Nachos include black beans, chipotle mojo, melted Chihuahua and Oaxaca cheese, pico de gallo and crema fresca. Add chicken, steak or pork for a small upcharge. Queso fundido features baked Chihuahua and Oaxaca cheese with corn tortillas and wild mushrooms or short ribs. Corn masa quesadillas feature Chihuahua and Oaxaca cheese, corn, roasted pablano and zucchini with grilled chicken. The lobster tortillas are the most expensive small plate at $12.50 and include pico de gallo, avocado, chipotle aioli and crispy garlic. A taco is not merely a taco at Mercadito. There are eight types, including shrimp, blackened swordfish with aioli, beer-battered mahi mahi with a Mexican-style slaw, skirt steak with a watercress-jicama slaw, rubbed pork with grilled pineapple, chicken with corn and avocado, pork belly with grilled peach salsita and a vegetarian one of wild mushrooms and tomato sofrito. Large plates include chile relleno with stuffed chile poblano, shrimp, Chihuahua and Oaxaca cheese and salsa. Carne asada has marinated skirt steak with a watercress-jicama slaw and grilled scallions. Pollo a las Brasas has chile morita-arbol-crusted chicken on plantain rice. The enchiladas can be made with chicken or shrimp. Want to share but can’t decide? The Mercadito Plate allows diners a choice of two large plates and two enchiladas. The restaurant recently added lunch hours from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and dinner is offered from 4 p.m. to midnight daily.
