Friends and business partners Tony Ravelo and Matt Pinal are behind a refreshing approach to the frozen cocktail. If there’s anything Vegas’s food and beverage scene has proved in the last few years, it’s that the city’s taste for extravagance does not imply a lack of interest in all-natural foods with wholesome ingredients. With Splash Fresca Bar, Ravelo and Pinal are offering a simpler, less artificial take on the ubiquitous daiquiri, offering a selection of spiked aguas frescas.
“We’re a Mexican-inspired beverage bar based on Mexican drinks like horchata,” Ravelo said in a phone conversation between the two business partners and What Now on Tuesday. “Everything is made from fresh fruits, cereals, and nuts, ingredients that are traditional in Mexican beverages—and we spike it.”
The project is the culmination of a long entrepreneurial friendship.
“Tony and I have been friends for over 20 years,” Pinal said. “We’ve always been entrepreneurs, working on different projects. But when he came to town he was working on an agua fresca concept, and so was I, so we teamed up.”
With one location already in operation, Splash has made headway with drink varieties like Blueberry Mojito and Cucumber Lime, served in souvenir cups. Sixteen different pre-imagined drinks are on offer, although guests are welcome to experiment with their own choice of spirits and other ingredients.
“You walk up and down the Strip, and you see all these people drinking daiquiris full of high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavorings,” Pinal said. “This is a much more natural option, made with fresh ingredients.”
Splash Fresca Bar is now preparing to open another location. It’s coming soon to the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian.
