Las Vegas Mixtape v21: Late Night Dining Scene, Twang Heaven, and Dazzling Art

Track #3: Casa de Raku @Chinatown

Add Chinatown’s Casa de Raku to the city’s thriving Spanish tapas scene, which includes Jose Andres’ Jaleo at the Cosmopolitan, Firefly Tapas Kitchen, and Edo Gastro Tapas & Wine.

You’ll find Casa de Raku in Seoul Plaza along Spring Mountain Rd. Formerly dessert wonderland Sweets Raku, this intimate bohemian-cool space has been strikingly transformed into a softly lit, dark wood-adorned spot with few tables and a bar. The floor-to-ceiling rows of wine bottles in the front area look like an art installation.

As with a dim sum meal, the experience of ordering and sharing tapas stands apart from eating a standard dinner. My food adventure here consisted of one distinguished small plate after another:

• fried potatoes, enhanced with poached egg and Jamon Iberico
• succulent shrimp with garlic
• ham croquetas
• a beet salad with Greek yogurt dressing
• two pintxos (small snacks): egg salad and Spanish tomato bread.

Casa de Raku is also a late-night destination. It’s open 6 pm to 2 am except Mondays, and happy-hour pricing is available Tuesday through Saturday between 9 pm and close. You’ll get 20% off your bill.