Sports Illustrated - USA (2022-04)

AS THE NFL DESCENDS ON VEGAS

FOR THE DRAFT, WHO BETTER TO

ROLL OUT THE WELCOME MAT THAN

A FOOTBALL-LOVING UNLV ALUM?

ON THE

CLOCK:

FLAVORTOWN

SCORECARD

W

EATS: FOOD. DRINK. CULTURE. SPORTS

14 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED | SI.COM

HEN GUY FIERI was a student at UNLV,

eating a fancy meal in Las Vegas meant

hitting a buffet if someone’s parents came

to town to treat. More likely, he and his pals were in

Old Vegas in search of 50-cent hot dogs and beers.

Now the city is overf lowing with food options, giving

fans in town for the NFL draft all sorts of choices.

“Vegas really has become this epicenter of amazing

food and beverage and culinary entertainment,” says

Fieri, who is currently hosting the Tou r n a m e nt of

Champions on Food Network. “The food scene here is

brighter than the neon lights that run the Strip.”

Fieri—a lifelong Raiders fan who is developing a

sports-themed restaurant on the Strip (he has two

joints in the city now)—doesn’t associate Vegas with

a particular dish. Rather, he says, “This is the land

of eccentric f lavors.” So when asked for a couple of

draft-watching recipes he recommends a tequila

drink where the smokiness is offset by a sweet

barbecue sauce. (He was skeptical at first, too.) And

for an app, he suggests decadent jalapeño poppers

that are roasted, not fried. In other words, not like

anything you’ll see at your standard buffet.

FIERY FIERI

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Santo Blanco tequila

1 oz Monin agave nectar

1 ½ oz freshly squeezed lime juice

½ oz Guy Fieri’s Bourbon

Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce

2 dashes Australian bit ters

GARNISH

3 tbsp sugar

1 tspchipotle chili powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend chipotle chili powder and
   sugar. Moisten a 10-ounce rocks
   glass with a lime and rim half with
   the chili-sugar blend, fill with ice
   and set aside.


2. Fill mixing glass ⅔ with ice
   and add tequila, agave nectar, lime
   juice, BBQ sauce and Australian
   bitters.


3. Cap mixing glass with shaker
   tin and shake vigorously for
   10 to 15 seconds.


4. Strain contents into rimmed
   glass and ser ve.

Recipes courtesy of

Guy Fieri

BY MARK BECHTEL

ET

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