News: Las Vegas Design Center Spices up Downtown’s Culinary Offerings with Mundo

03.17.10

(LAS VEGAS)— Las Vegas Design Center has always been a resource for exceptional taste and that tradition continues with the opening of Mundo, A Culinary Haute Spot.  Mundo, which means “world” in Spanish, is the first upscale Mexican restaurant in Downtown Las Vegas.

In addition to complementing the mission of Las Vegas Design Center, Mundo will also play a vital role in furthering redevelopment and transforming classic Las Vegas into a vibrant and cosmopolitan success story.

“It's a great venue with beautiful decor and an excellent staff, and it's so accessible and convenient that I feel confident it will be a home run,” said Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. 

Mexico and Spain serve as the primary influences for the food, and options range from small plates to dynamic meals. Mundo is a collaboration among Las Vegans George Harris, Irma Aguirre, Mingo Collaso and Executive Chef Robert Solano.

“Describing Mundo as a Mexican restaurant is about as accurate as describing the Hoover Dam as a levee,” says Randy Wells, vice president of Las Vegas Design Center. The culinary influences come from around the world, but the true highlight is the quality of local and regional ingredients and the flavors Chef Robert Solano coaxes out of them.”

Solano has spent years traveling and researching regional Mexican flavors and influences. He combines that experience with the American training he received working at top Las Vegas restaurants to create his successful fusion of old-World Mexico and modern cuisine. Solano is an award-winning chef who garnered the 2008 Top Ten Best Restaurants in Las Vegas and the 2009 “Best of” award by the Las Vegas Review-Journal for his innovative menu for the popular boutique Mexican restaurant, La Madonna Avant-Garde Cuisine.

“My inspiration when creating Mundo's menu was to celebrate the complexity of Mexican culture and cuisine. Like the country and its people, our menu is a combination of rustic and sophistication,” said Solano.  “I drew from all regions of Mexico but mainly from Oaxacan and Veracruzean cuisine as they both make use of some of my favorite chilies such as cascabel, chipotle, ancho and the guajillo chile.  Of course they are only a small fraction of what makes up our flavorful and complex sauces on our menu.”

Some offerings from Mundo’s eclectic menu include:

·         Poblano chile corn soup

·         Braised short rib enchiladas

·         Avocado leaf crusted sea scallops

·         Filet mignon of Kurobuta pork

·         Green chile spiced lamb chops

·         Sweet corn tamale with piloncillo corn butter filling

While the cuisine takes center stage, Mundo’s design makes the dining experience complete. “The restaurant’s design direction was driven by partner Irma Aguirre,” says Wells. “She’s done a wonderful job of creating a space that’s upscale yet also very approachable. Her aim was to create a space that pays homage to both their cuisine’s Mexican heritage and the history of their downtown Las Vegas location.”

Wells says that Mundo will serve as a gathering place for design professionals and their clients, but it will also be a bridge to the larger Las Vegas community, and a terrific way of introducing them to Las Vegas Design Center. Complimentary valet and self-parking options will make it easy for visitors to get in and out.

“Our Design Center is built around the architecture and interior design community, but we are also working very hard to make it a great place for consumers to learn about the value and accessibility of great design, connect with a designer or shop with their own and really create the home of their dreams,” he says. “We have created a resource unlike any in America and Mundo will contribute to our efforts to drive awareness and introduce the Las Vegas community to their Design Center.”

Mundo will be open for lunch and dinner Monday – Thursday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm and Friday – Saturday from 11:00 am – 11:00 pm. Happy Hour is Monday – Friday from 3:00 – 7:00 pm. To learn more visit www.mundolasvegas.com.

About Las Vegas Design Center at World Market Center Las Vegas

Sitting at the epicenter of the world’s fastest growing home furnishings complex, Las Vegas Design Center at World Market Center Las Vegas is a year-round resource for design-seeking consumers and designers showcasing top names in fine furniture, decorative accessories, wall décor, lighting, floor coverings, fabrics and trim.  Now open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., LVDC boasts hundreds of leading manufacturers’ lines. An important source of education for the industry, Las Vegas Design Center also attracts many of the industry’s most prominent thought leaders to its comprehensive slate of seminars, networking receptions and other sought-after events. For more information, visit www.lvdesigncenter.com.