Jose Garces’ Three Restaurants at Revel in Atlantic City

We’re sure you’ve heard the news by now; there’s a new hotel sitting pretty on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City: Revel. But what excites The Latin Kitchen is that Jose Garces has not one, not two, but three restaurants within.

An American chef born to Ecuadorian parents, and raised in Chicago, Chef Garces is the 2009 winner of the James Beard Foundation’s prestigious “Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic” award, and regularly appears on the Food Network hit Iron Chef America. His first cookbook, Latin Evolution (Lake Isle Press) was published in 2008, and The Latin Road Home, which samples a variety of Latin cultures through food, will be available in stores this October.

Since opening his first restaurant, Amada, in 2005, Garces has emerged as a culinary leader, creating food that sits proudly in the Latin space.  With a home base in Philadelphia, and restaurants in Chicago, Scottsdale, Palm Springs, and now, Atlantic City, Garces is a slowly creating an empire. “Since opening Amada, my life and career have taken off in directions I could never have hoped to anticipate, and it has been an amazing ride,” says Garces.

“Each new opportunity has brought a fresh set of challenges, and is has been exhilarating to overcome them and continue to evolve and grow – as a chef, as a hospitality professional and as a person.” 

Joining such other marquee chefs as Marc Forgione, Alain Allegretti, Robert Wiedmaier, and Michel Richard at Revel felt natural to Garces. “Atlantic City has always been one my favorite places to enjoy a great night out. Revel is a great addition to the city’s offerings and we are so excited to be a part of it,” said Garces.

“Opening these restaurants feels fresh and exciting to me, much the way it did when I first opened Amada in Philadelphia,” he continues. It makes sense that Amada will headline as his signature restaurant at Revel.

A 300-seat Andalusian tapas bar with floor-to-ceiling views of the Atlantic Ocean, Amada, like many of the other restaurants at Revel, sits on the casino floor. With an elevated stage for live flamenco performances, Spanish tiling, and a menu heavy on classics like Spanish octopus with smoke paprika and potatoes, tortilla Española, an assortment of Spanish hams, sausages, and cheeses, Amada embodies the flavor and styling of Spain. Tapas and larger plates, like requisite paella, round out the offerings, while waiters with arms full of sangria rush to and fro.

Village Whiskey, set up like a 1920s cocktail bar, is vastly different from Amada. This is the spot to nurse a hangover with massive burgers (the Whiskey King is topped with blue cheese, bacon, onions, and foie gras) and duck fat fries (with or without cheese sauce), BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, and rib-eye steaks.  The highlight, however, is the library of over 80 whiskeys, bourbons, ryes, and scotches from around the world. 

Last, and possibly the most loved of his Revel restaurants, is the ever-popular Distrito Cantina, a taco truck parked right in the middle of the casino level’s floor.  Eat your tacos on one of the picnic tables, or take them back to the blackjack table, but make sure to order a margarita with your grub. Over 100 tequilas are available to choose from.

If you can’t make it to New Jersey this summer, Chef Garces has shared a recipe from each of his Revel spots with The Latin Kitchen.  Try your luck in your own kitchen, and share your thoughts in our comments section.

Distrito Esquites

Jose Garces’ new cookbook The Latin Road Home (Lake Isle Press) will be published in October. We’ll have all the news surrounding publication on The Latin Kitchen, but if you want to pre-order the book on Amazon, click here.