For a couple of weeks, I’d been hearing very positive rumblings about the new Brunch Mexicano, the daytime culinary offering on weekends at Casa Playa, at Wynn Las Vegas; and being a fan of executive chef Sarah Thompson’s coastal Mexican fare at dinner, decided not to waste another moment without seeing how she approached brunch.  Spoiler alert: It was muy deliciosa!

The first wave of sweet and savory came to the table in the form of a basket full of tasty Mexican pastries—pan dolces, if you will—from which I selected a bubblegum pink Concha (“Hey, Barbie!”), a particularly zesty Mexican version of Pain au Chocolate, in which the chocolate was made with cinnamon and assorted spices; and a Fig Danish.  This was followed by a vibrant plate of Fresh Fruit which—were I at all talented with a brush and paints—would likely be a still-life on canvas by now, with its wedges of ripe melons, plums, and nectarines, chunks of dragon fruit, a half of a passionfruit, and bunches of grapes (both white and red).

Upon receiving some recommendations from Chef Sarah, I placed my order and made my way over to the pop-up taqueria that had been installed in front of the windows in the front of the dining room.  There, a few corn tortillas were pressed to order and warmed for me, after which I posed with the pig (see photo) from which, a moment later, the succulent meat for the Crispy Skin Carnitas was taken.  I made a mental note to come back for the Beef Birria, crowned my carnitas with some tender pieces of Pineapple al Pastor, and made my way to the toppings station, where I added some shaved onions (that were sliced so thin they were translucent and virtually melted when placed on top of the pork), some crumbled Queso Fresca, a couple dollops of Crema Agria, as well as a wedge of lime to be squeezed later, and—having grabbed a second plate, which I’d filled with a hearty portion of the previously mentioned Beef Birria—returned to the table.

Within moments of taking my seat, once again, my server began presenting the dishes that had been prepared in the kitchen, beginning with the Masa Pancake (with piloncillo caramel and pineapple).  Funnily enough, when Chef Sarah was telling me about the Masa Pancake, I could’ve sworn she’d said they were “Matzo Pancakes” which not only sounded like a peculiar addition to a ‘Brunch Mexicano,’ but would seem to have been more suited to April than August (what with Passover and all).  No, she assured me, laughing: The pancakes are made from masa (a maize dough made from nixtamalized corn), not matzo; and before you could say "I wanted seltzer, not salsa!" we'd had our very own Seinfeld-ian moment!  And though I know she’d never steer me wrong; I’ll admit to an initial hesitation at eating what turned out to be not simply an incredibly tasty pancake, but one that with the addition of the pineapple (which I’d contemplated removing) had been elevated ito a whole new level. *

And speaking of dishes elevated by the addition of pineapple, that Pineapple al Pastor was an absolutely sublime accompaniment to those Crispy Skin Carnitas, resulting in my going completely ‘ham’ on that pig.  It also occurred to me that outside of Hawaii I can’t recall pineapple ever being so ubiquitous at a meal, let alone such a welcome addition.  I enjoyed it so much, in fact, that I made a second trip to the taqueria as I’d been so excited to eat my first Crispy Skin Carnita con Piña al Pastor, that I’d neglected to take any photos (as though I needed an excuse to get seconds).

I’ve long held that it’s a shame that while Las Vegas has some of the most beautiful restaurants anywhere—many of which, thanks to Todd-Avery Lenahan and his incredible team at Wynn Design & Development, can be found at Wynn Las Vegas—they are (for the most part) only seen at night, during dinner service; so, it’s a delight to enjoy a meal in the newly reimagined Casa Playa, during the day.  Despite the gloomy skies outside, when I was there, last Sunday (awaiting Hurricane Hillary, which never really came); inside Casa Playa, I was completely charmed by the bright airiness of the room, its cheerful installations of hanging marigolds, and that enormous Olmec stone head of basalt.

So, if you’re looking for a delicious brunch with a coastal Mexican flair in a gorgeous setting, make a point of trying the prix fixe ‘Brunch Mexicano’ at Casa Playa, every Saturday and Sunday from 10:30AM to 1:30PM.  I’ll see you there!

Brunch Mexicano
Casa Playa | Wynn Las Vegas
Saturdays and Sundays | 10:30AM – 1:30PM
$84.99 per person (excluding specialty beverages, tax, and gratuity)
Click HERE for info

Get into it!
#Wynn