Aroma Latin American Cocina

Four months before Aroma Latin American Cocina’s Steve Kestler was nominated for a James Beard Award, another top Las Vegas chef texted Neon Feast creator Al Mancini to sing his praises, and lobby for more media coverage of the restaurant.

“Killer meal at Aroma last night,” wrote Chef James Trees (Esther’s Kitchen, Al Solito Posto, Ada’s Food and Wine).

“[Chef] Stephen Kessler is trying to do something that is so hard. He’s trying to start a restaurant in a completely new category of Southern American [restaurant], mixed with the cuisines of Korea and Japan.”

Trees lamented the fact that Kestler’s presentation of tacos within a non-Mexican restaurant and the inclusion of Guatemalan enchiladas (reminiscent of tostadas) might, for some, be “hard to process, which is probably keeping people from trying the restaurant.”

Luckily, the world has caught on, thanks to Kestler’s nomination for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: Southwest award. As a result, it may be a bit harder to secure a table in this previously hidden gem, in a non-descript strip mall on Sunset Road, near Green Valley Parkway. But it’s worth the effort, not only for the dishes Trees mentioned, but also things like Kestler’s yellowtail aguachile Amarillo, chile relleno tempura, and the gaucho sandwich of sliced picanha steak on a hoagie roll with chimichurri sauce.