Craving, Satisfied

By Abby Tegnelia

Credit: Penny De Los Santos

I like my huarache topped with steak�a thin slice of beef on a thick, oval corn tortilla smothered in refried pinto beans, red and green salsas, and crumbled cotija cheese. At Los Antojos ("The Cravings"), a little restaurant in a strip mall on South Eastern Avenue, the Martinez family sells some of the tastiest huaraches around�a public service in a town whose Mexican population has grown by leaps and bounds in the past 20 years, yet has never had many Mexican restaurants to show for it.

The soul of the operation is 75-year-old Carmen Ruiz. "We don't mess with her kitchen," says her son Francisco Martinez. Every entrée is made from scratch, from the huaraches and Mexico City-style quesadillas and gorditas to the popular "consome loco," a rich chicken soup loaded with rice, vegetables, and shredded chicken. The ingredients come from La Bonita, a nearby market that's another hub for the Vegas Latino community. "My mother has a club of fans over there," Martinez says. "It's like shopping with a star."

Los Antojos
2520 S Eastern Ave #2
Las Vegas, NV 89169
702/457-3505