Sarah Thompson Brings California Prunes to the Table at Casa Playa

At Casa Playa in Wynn Las Vegas, Executive Chef Sarah Thompson is showing diners a different side of the Strip—one built around seasonal California produce, coastal Mexican flavors and thoughtful ingredients that do more than expected.

That includes California Prunes.

From a Familiar Fruit to a Versatile Ingredient

Building Balance in Coloradito Mole

That approach comes to life in her coloradito mole, a bold sauce served with braised octopus. The mole combines roasted tomatoes, onions and garlic with toasted hazelnuts, Marcona almonds, warm spices, ancho chiles, plantains and prunes.

The ancho chiles are an especially natural match.

“They have a beautiful smoky, raisiny flavor, and it complements the prunes so well,” Thompson says. “Together, they both stand on their own, and it’s really, really beautiful.”

For Thompson, prunes are not simply a substitute for another sweetener. They help connect the sauce’s smoky, spicy, savory and fruity notes.

“It’s a balance,” she says. “We use plantains, we use the prunes to bring out those flavors but also balance them, and it’s a really fun way to use the ingredient.”

California-Grown Ingredients in the Desert

That spirit of balance defines the broader menu at Casa Playa. The coastal Mexican restaurant focuses on fresh Pacific seafood, seasonal produce and shareable dishes that feel vibrant rather than heavy.

Thompson is particularly proud of the California-grown ingredients that make their way into the kitchen.

“We work closely with California farms, bringing in some of the best produce, changing our menu seasonally and having that be a huge focus of what we do,” she says.

In a city known for steak, lobster and king crab, Thompson gives vegetables, fruit and seafood the same level of attention.

“Not everyone that comes here wants to eat crazy amounts of king crab or crazy amounts of lobster,” she says. “They want to eat good food.”

Giving Prunes a Modern Role

That philosophy has made room for ingredients like prunes to shine in unexpected ways. Their rich fruit flavor and natural sweetness make them especially useful in complex sauces, where they can soften heat, deepen flavor and help bring many ingredients into harmony.

At Casa Playa, prunes are not treated as an old-fashioned pantry item. They are part of a modern, produce-driven approach to Mexican cooking—one that respects tradition while leaving room for creativity.

And for Thompson, that is exactly the point.

“Vegas is a wild place,” she says. “It’s everything that you think it’s going to be, but also so many things that you don’t.”

Her cooking follows the same idea: familiar, surprising and full of more possibilities than diners may expect.

Learn how to make mole at home with Chef Ana Castro’s Recipe>>>

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