Las Vegas Mixtape v30: Darkwave Bliss, Havana Rises Again, and Nightlife Tastemakers Bash

Track #2: Havana 1957 @Flamingo Las Vegas

Until now, my favorite chicken entrée has been the “Oaxacan Rotisserie Chicken” at Chica inside the Venetian where Chef Lorena Garcia has put her distinctive stamp on modern Mexican cuisine.

Chica now has stiff competition, thanks to “Pollo Havana 1957.” It’s one of the signature dishes at the Miami import Havana 1957–the Cuban restaurant and bar that opened this past December at the Flamingo and conjures the glamour of ‘50s Havana.

Their roasted chicken, large enough for two to share, is a marvel—seductively tender and juicy, distinguished by the “marinated in-house Cuban gravy with citrus and Caribbean-spiced notes.” It’s served with white rice, black beans, roasted potatoes, and sweet plantains.

I paired this entrée with a classic coconut-accented mojito—an unbeatable dinner-cocktail combination that guarantees my return. But I’ll likely be back on a weekday…when there’s no live entertainment.

As red hot as the Cuban music was on the Saturday night when I was there with a 6:30pm reservation, the band’s volume was overpowering for the room and made dinner hard to fully enjoy.