text: It's always fun trying out new restaurants by famed chef's especially out in Vegas.  This trip was no different as we started off the weekend by dining here at Jaleo.  Can't beat a weekend filled with gambling and fine dining.\n\nAfter the shitty 6 hour drive out to Vegas plus the 112+ degeree weather we had to deal with, dinner at Jaleo was definitely worth the suffering.  This restaurant was packed and luckily we were able to make reservations a week before.  Doubt anyone was seated without a table.  \n\nThere was only one negative point to our dinner which was the fact that patrons couldn't order any paella they wanted.  Apparently, the chef determines what paella to make and the order in which he does so.  At the time we were seated, we were disappointed to find out that he was making the chicken and rabbit paella next and the server wasn't sure when he was going to make the lobster paella.  The lobster paella was the sole reason for us dining here on a Friday night.\n\nWe started the meal off with the croquetas de pollo http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/K0j_Znzin0jShXVnpvW86A?select=doBDden97_QWUQ90g3fahQ#doBDden97_QWUQ90g3fahQ.  I had just recently dined at Racion in Pasadena and thought that the croquetas were amazing there until I had the ones at Jaleo.  OMFG were they delicious!  They are served inside a shoe which added a fun aspect to the presentation.  Perfectly fried to a golden crisp and surprisingly they were not oily.  A must order when dining here.\n\nHuevo frito con caviar http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/K0j_Znzin0jShXVnpvW86A?select=doBDden97_QWUQ90g3fahQ#rcJVfsQ828Px9z1QGseU1g.  Probably my least favorite dish as I'm not a caviar person.  Though the egg was perfectly cooked (with a runny yolk), I thought that the caviar left a strong fishy after taste in my mouth.\n\nEnsalada de coles de bruselas con albaricoques, manzanas y jamon http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/K0j_Znzin0jShXVnpvW86A?select=doBDden97_QWUQ90g3fahQ#zfhsQwFmrz73uw3ejHSdcw.  I'm not a brussel sprout person and still thought that this dish was tasty.  Perhaps it was the bits of jamon they used to give a nice saltiness to the dish or it's the fact that I'm starting to like them....I'll have to say it was the jamon!  \n\nRossejat http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/K0j_Znzin0jShXVnpvW86A?select=doBDden97_QWUQ90g3fahQ#5NoVIJuIihu5NBs2MGfHJw.  After hearing the disappointing news about the lobster paella, we decided to order this instead after hearing that it was a specialty dish that Chef Andres makes.  It was pretty good though I thought that the squid actually had a strong fishy taste.  Again, I do have a pretty sensitive palate when it comes to fishy tasting seafood.  I'm more of a meat person so though the noodles were cooked perfectly, the squid sort of killed it for me.\n\nMini pepito de iberico http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/K0j_Znzin0jShXVnpvW86A?select=doBDden97_QWUQ90g3fahQ#T0TizmLVjT3tF3kTRO439g.  Not sure which iberico dish to order, we settled for this one.  My complaint was with the timing as it didn't show up until near the end of our meal, making it difficult to consume as we were stuffed.  Wished we had a few more mouths to help out with all the food we ordered.  The mini pork burgers were good but ended up skipping out on the bread and just eating the pork patty.\n\nSecreto iberico con pan tomate y salsa verde http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/K0j_Znzin0jShXVnpvW86A?select=doBDden97_QWUQ90g3fahQ#ZCU0locj942eufdlsI9tnA.  Hands down the best dish of the night!  Perfectly cooked and seasoned!  This skirt steak from the iberico pork is to die for.  It came out still warm and boy did each piece melt in your mouth.  It was so good that for a brief few minutes, I forgot how full I really was until most of the plate was gone.  Oh and the pan con tomate was awesome!\n\nAfter devouring the plate of the secreto, the waiter came back with some exciting news!  Turns out that the chef just finished cooking the lobster paella.  Being too full to even consider ordering a plate of it, we asked for a sample http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/K0j_Znzin0jShXVnpvW86A?select=doBDden97_QWUQ90g3fahQ#1qw63ZI6jhTaG-pMhU_NSg.  The waiter brought out two spoons of the freshly cooked paella and holy shit was this good!  If not having been so full, I would've gladly ordered a plate.  This paella is by far the best I've ever had.  \n\nWe were given some advice on how to book our next reservations and hopefully we'll be able to order a plate of the lobsert paella.  Until next time Jaleo...I will be dreaming of your secreto and of your arroz a banda con bogavante!!!!\n\n**Deducted 1/2 star for not being able to order the lobster paella**