I was invited to El Segundo Sol’s grand opening party, a very happy occasion, but the party does not stop. The atmosphere is always festive.

There are a lot of FIRST’s at El Segundo Sol! Terry Lynch, Executive Chef of the Mon Ami Gabi, in the Paris Resort, and El Segundo Sol Taqueria and Margarita Bar, was enthusiastic, “You can have a drink at the Bar or the server will make a Margarita right in front of you at your table. This is a very popular item.” I have never seen it done anywhere else.

I appreciate their restaurant’s differences, like the table-side guacamole bar. Chef Terry explained, “We built party carts and have a crew of guacamole girls creating guacamole dishes right at the table. This is traditional and the girls learn how to be very fast.” Guests can eat guacamole as an appetizer, side dish or meal.

El Segundo Sol has added the first Taco bar on Las Vegas Boulevard! Walk up and get your taco, just like in Mexico. Chef Terry continued, “The walk- away taco shack offers small tacos, with great meats and sauces for only $2. They are all very tasty. Our real inspiration came from the street tacos in Mexico and our Mexican food is based on that idea. Looking in the restaurant, we wanted the “feeling” that you are on a beach in Mexico. The front terrace is surrounded by a grove of palm trees. Then the restaurant spreads out and you keep finding more and more things.

Divisional Supervisor Daniel Evon feels, “What makes El Segundo Sol different from all of the other restaurants? We have created an atmosphere that is a wide open, warm and welcoming. We spent time bringing street-vendor flair to Las Vegas with the street taco shack. Our intention was to make sure people had a place to stop as they walked and could pick something up, then continue down the strip and really be a part of Las Vegas.

Everything we do is value related. Our fantastic food really sends the meal over the top. Having fun and a great meal is what the El Segundo Sol Restaurant is all about. This is where you would want to be with a nice cold Margarita and a platter of tacos, I can’t think you could go wrong.

We have a lot of food that is really high quality, our meats, free range chicken, shrimp, all in different marinades busting up the flavor. Then most importantly, we do our own house made corn tortillas. It takes a lot of work to prepare them. We have a small team of people making tortillas 14 hours a day. That is a lot of tortillas, thousands!

The food is really great! I had a fantastic steaming fajitas platter, not like they are usually served at the other restaurants. Instead of bringing the steaming fajitas through the restaurant, the server makes it sizzle and steam in front of you at your table! It was piled up with enough food for two people. The sizzling platter had marinated skirt steak, roasted peppers, onions, asparagus, and a red pepper. Watch out for the red pepper! The steak and all of the vegetables were prepared in thick, long slices so we could cut them as thick as we wanted to our preference. The cook grills the steak at a high temperature so it is crisp on the outside. The texture is fantastic!

El Segundo will be celebrating the World Cup event and invites the public to join them for their big party!

Appetizers: $5.95-12.95; Quesadillas, Enchiladas, and Tostadas: $7.95-15.95; Cheese crisps, Mexican Pizzas: $7.95-8.95; Tacos Platters: $12.95-29.95; Entrees: $12.95-18.95; Fajita Platters: $16.95-19.95;

Happy Hours: 4-7 pm, Half- price Margaritas, bar specials, taco specials and from 10 pm to closing is the second Happy Hour. There is always a Happy Hour at El Segundo. Open: 7 days, Tacos Shack, 11 am and the restaurant 11:30 am until late at night.

The El Segundo Sol Taqueria and Margarita Bar is in the Fashion Show Mall, street side, across from the Wynn’s Resorts. There is valet and self-parking underneath the mall and valet service outside on the corner. www.elsegundosol.com

Sandy Zimmerman is a syndicated features columnist published in Dubai, Japan, England, South America, as well as other countries and in the United States;

She is talk show host of the Las Vegas Today Show programs and Discover the Ultimate Vacation travel specials taped on location in Las Vegas and around the world respectively;

Celebrating 29 years as the longest running talk show host, columnist, and entertainment reviewer in Las Vegas, Sandy also covers dining reviews, travel, spas, health and lifestyles;

Sandy won the Award of Excellence for her All American Burger commercial- John and Marsha, a soap opera, by the Greater Las Vegas Advertising Federation.

For information, contact Sandy Zimmerman:   sandyzimm2003@yahoo.com