John Baez

Lobster offers premium culinary cues, which makes the Lobster Taco Platter a natural Chef’s Special at Border Grill, a modern Mexican concept housed at the Mandalay Bay hotel. Three lobster tacos deliver an explosion of flavors, textures and colors while showcasing next-level technique. “We infused squid ink into the masa to give the tortillas a little bit of salty, briny flavor, as well as a deep rich black color that contrasts nicely with the rest of the dish’s components,” says John Baez, Executive Chef. Another deft touch? A mixture of panela, manchego and Oaxaca cheeses are melted on a hot griddle, forming a crispy frico to cling to the tortillas.

The lobster tail meat is butter poached to ensure a tender, rich experience. Baez considered the finishing sauce, salsa and garnishes with care. “For example, the Champagne-chipotlecorn salsa plays on the decadent combination of lobster and Champagne,” he says, adding that it balances the salinity of the tortillas, the richness of the lobster, tartness from citrus in the avocado balm (a proprietary sauce at Border Grill), the sweetness of the corn and the crunchy textural contrast of crispy hominy.