Dining Pick of the Week: Viva Zapata’s

Viva Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

3826 E. Craig Road at North Pecos Road, 702-643-8888

Viva Zapata’s lives up to its namesake with an authentic menu that pays tribute to one of the most revered national heroes of Mexico, Emiliano Zapata. Guacamole is prepared tableside with jalapenos, tomatoes, onions, cilantro and fresh lime juice. Other appetizers are nopalitos (fresh cactus grilled with onions, tomatoes, cilantro and jalapenos), chicken or beef taquitos, de verduras (potato skins filled with pan-fried vegetables), shrimp cocktail and toreados con queso, fried jalapenos covered with melted Monterey Jack. Several Mexican festival dishes are birria de chivo (goat), menudo on Saturday and Sunday, and seafood soup. There are tacos, pork and Mexican gulf shrimp specialties, enchiladas, salads and some 20 combination plates. Featured entrees are beef tongue, steak rancheros, carnitas cuartel (oranges and spices), steak a la Mexicana and fajitas. Several breakfast specialties are huevos con nopalitos (scrambled eggs with Mexican catcus), con chorizo (with Mexican sausage) and con machaca (pico de gallo, shredded roast pork or beef). The 30-item lunch menu ($8.25) is served from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Appetizers start at $6.25. Viva Zapata’s is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.