Ceviche You Say? What's the big deal about Ceviche?
Wait a minute - what is Ceviche?
Ceviche - or as it is sometimes known as - Seviche, or Cebiche, is an old South American recipe with possible older origins in Arabia. This dish has been around! Its more recent origins claim to be somewhere between Peru and Ecuador. But it is popular throughout all of Latin America, South America, the Caribbean, and of course Mexico. I knew there was a reason I always wanted to go to South America! Anyway, Ceviche as it is normally spelled is basically fish or shellfish (shrimp, scallops, crab meat, or lobster) prepared with the acidic juices of citrus juice instead of heat.
I say it is shellfish with salsa (my two favorite foods mixed together, what could be better!), well I call it salsa, but it's a concoction that contains everything from exotic fruits, including lemons and tangerines, to vegetables, such as onions and of course tomatoes, the main ingredients usually include lemons, onions and tomatoes, as well as celery, cucumbers, topped with avocado, sometimes garlic, and pepper and oregano. These are all very healthy foods by the way as well! According to Linda Stradley from the website What's Cooking America, who also wrote the cookbook I'll Have What They're Having - Legendary Local Cuisine, the making and consuming of ceviche is akin to a religious experience in parts of Mexico, Central, and South America, I can fully understand. If you are ready to indulge in the epicurean religion of ceviche, here are the top five places you can go in Las Vegas:
- The Wynn Buffet - if you're willing to shell out up to $40 (no pun intended), then the Wynn Buffet is your ticket to some of the best ceviche around sure to please even the most refined palate. Have up to five different kinds of the most succulent ceviche around! Including: Rock Shrimp Ceviche, Octopus Ceviche, and my personal favorite - Salmon Ceviche. Did I mention that the price was worth it?
- The Café at the Wynn - if the Wynn Buffet is not to your taste at the time - try the deli there as well, simply called The Café. They also have a similar kind of ceviche with a cocktail-like sauce available for your convenient epicurean delight.
- Blue Agave at the Palms - they have a special kind of ceviche - Ceviche en Tequila Blanca made with tequila which lends a unique taste. If you're concerned about any residual alcohol taste, don't worry - it simply lends a special savor to the dish contributing to a taste that lingers long after you leave the restaurant and leaves you wanting more.
- Don Miguels at the Orleans - I have gone here many a time to get my ceviche fix. Besides that, they give you three kinds of salsa (another one of my favorite dishes by the way), including red salsa, a more spicy ‘dark' salsa and a hot bean dip. Yum!
- The Agave Lounge - last, but not least - this happening lounge/restaurant on West Charleston is open late at night if you're having one of those late-night ceviche cravings like I have sometimes.. just go to the bar, order your ceviche, it comes in a beautiful bag and the service is friendly and prompt. Their particular brand of ceviche is quite citrusy. Perfect for that late-night refreshing snack!
If your experiences with ceviche don't please you, let me know, or if you find any other spectacular places to sample the succulence of ceviche, certainly let me know! Also, if you end up going to any of these places, be sure to tell them about this article! Thanks!
