Food has always been a love language for Manchev. “All of my best memories have centered around a good meal with close ones,” she said.
Photo by Baylee Jo

A Coming-of-Age Culinary Tale

Forte Tapas’ Nina Manchev Proves You’re Never
Too Young to Follow Your Dreams

BY HEATHER TURK

One of Las Vegas’ most beloved restaurants wouldn’t be celebrating its 14th anniversary this year if its owner didn’t have a lot of faith in herself at a young age.

“I’m a dreamer,” said Nina Manchev, who decided to open the foodie favorite, Forte Tapas, when she was just 22 years old. “It was just a perfect storm of self-confidence and no fear. I wanted to work at a few restaurants while in college, but they wouldn’t hire me because I didn’t have experience. I even offered to work for free so that I could get the experience. Life is interesting that way.”

Born in Bulgaria, Manchev moved with her parents and grandmother to Chicago when she was just three years old. About a year later, her parents relocated to Las Vegas, where Manchev grew up, and went on to study hospitality, food, and beverage at UNLV. With dreams of opening a restaurant that highlighted the food and culture of European cuisine in an approachable and modern way, Manchev decided to gamble on herself while still in college and opened Forte Tapas in August 2009.

Forte Tapas, known for its traditional European comfort food with a menu that features dishes from countries like Russia, Hungary, Georgia, and Bulgaria, has long been somewhat of a hidden gem in Las Vegas despite being featured on Food Network’s hit series, “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” Today, the local favorite on South Rainbow Boulevard is thriving, offering “foodies” the unique ability to go on a culinary journey through Eastern Europe without leaving Southwest Las Vegas.

Manchev acknowledges that the restaurant’s path to success wasn’t always easy. “I think I focused too much on being taken seriously as a 22-year-old opening a restaurant, which I know for some people is inspiring,” Manchev recalled. “Truth is, I was cocky and egotistical, which caught up with me. I was too proud to ask for help because I didn’t want to seem stupid, but that led me to learn lessons the hard way.”

As the daughter of immigrant parents who developed their own businesses, Manchev was exposed to the ups and downs of entrepreneurship from a young age. Once she set out to open her own restaurant, she knew she had a responsibility not only to herself but also to her family, staff, and eventually customers to keep her dream going.

“Running this restaurant has been my biggest teacher in life,” stated Manchev, who eventually left UNLV a few credits short of getting her degree. “You do not see what you are capable of until you have to face it, and you don’t have anything to fall back on. You can’t count on a paycheck, and that’s scary, but you can figure it out, create your path and provide an opportunity for those who work for and with you in the business. Everyone will always give you input and advice; the most important piece of advice is what works for you. You have to learn to trust your gut. No one will care about your dreams as much as you do.”

Today, Manchev is no doubt living her dream. In addition to serving dinner, Forte Tapas recently began serving lunch on select days to accommodate even more customers. Several delightful new dishes have been added to the already flavorful menu as well, including a large Balkan Grill Master platter featuring an assortment of traditional grilled meats that guests can share, a Burrata & Prosciutto Salad that’s perfect for the warmer months, and a selection of savory Banichkas (Bulgarian-style filo dough pastries). Other menu highlights include the Mushroom Pelmeni (wild mushroom dumplings), the Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers made with seasoned ground pork, herbs, rice, and a yogurt dill sauce, and another new menu addition, the Chicken Roulade: lightly fried chicken breast rolls stuffed with fresh mozzarella and creamy avocado.

Forte Tapas recently began offering caviar service, too, which Manchev knows quite a bit about as the CEO of The Caviar Collective. Founded in 2019 to create unique activations and tastings while also educating people on caviar and how to enjoy it, the luxury lifestyle caviar brand is currently in the midst of building an e-commerce site to make caviar more accessible to everyone around the U.S.

“I have a lot of passion for the brand we have created and the trust we have earned from our dear clients—from Michelin-star restaurants to local gourmands who expect the best,” Manchev proudly stated.

While Manchev no doubt has a lot on her plate with Forte Tapas and The Caviar Collective, that doesn’t mean she isn’t still cooking up new opportunities in her head. Manchev admitted she would like to explore other locations for Forte Tapas—perhaps even outside of Las Vegas. She would love to reach a broader audience and share her culture with more people as well by launching a cookbook of Forte Tapas favorites that also highlights other chefs’ recipes from Bulgaria.

“I come from a small country, and not a lot of people realize how beautiful and rich in art, history, and culture it is and how warm people are,” Manchev said. “Hospitality is a part of our DNA!”

In the meantime, Manchev appreciates everyone who took a chance on a young (and slightly egotistical) twentysomething who ended up flourishing as a businesswoman—and person—while following her dreams of bringing her native culture and cuisine to a new audience.

“Over the last 14 years, our mission at Forte Tapas has been to provide homemade European comfort food without sacrificing the quality of ingredients,” Manchev concluded. “We really care about our customers and the cuisine we create. We make everything from scratch, and the team here takes pride in providing a welcoming, homey experience. It may all look simple, but good things take time, and it is an intimate experience for us to share what we do with our guests.”

Forte Tapas is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. and Monday from 5 to 10 p.m. In addition to its 65-seat dining room, the restaurant has a 30-seat patio that’s perfect during the spring and fall.

For more information or to make a reservation, visit barforte.com.