Vila Algarve

LVA Review

This restaurant was reviewed in the May 2014 LVA; some of the information contained in this review may no longer be accurate. Vila Algarve is the only (non-Brazilian) Portuguese restaurant in Las Vegas. The food is authentic, unusual, plentiful, and inexpensive. A big bowl of caldo verde soup (potato-based, with kale, garlic, and chorizo) is a meal in itself at $4. A pound of whole butterflied prawns in a spicy roux is $27 (works out to $3 per shrimp). Many dishes on the menu, prepared in the “traditional Portuguese way,” won’t be familiar. For example, appetizers running $5.50 to $7.50 include chicken gizzards, goat cheese in a sweet-and-sour sauce, trinchado (marinated meat in a cream sauce), and cozido (grilled pig ears). For entrées, bacalao is salted cod, mashed potatoes, garlic, onion, and egg ($20/$27). Espetada is beef, pork, or chicken kebobs served on a skewer that hangs from a special stand; you slide the bottom cube off to eat, while the upper cubes are kept warm on the skewer ($18.50 for beef). Mozambican-curry choices include chicken, calamari, and shrimp ($13-$14.50). Tripe, snails, sardines, and frog legs are among the out-of-the-ordinary offerings. The big menu also includes Portuguese steak ($16), seafood ($9.50-$27), chicken ($9.50-$17), ribs ($12.50/$25), and pizza and burgers ($6.50-$9.50). Tiramisu, crème brûlée, and baklava are $4-$4.50. Our favorite was the beef skewer, heavily marinated and served super-rare as ordered with green beans and rice. We also had the prawns and good Bulgarian and Mediterranean salads. The bill came to $61, but a typical food tab for two is closer to $50. Vila Algarve is open 11 to 3 am, making it a good late-night play.