Elite Event: Patrón Tequila Dinner @ Cantina Laredo

I was totally impressed with the Patron Tequila Dinner at Cantina Laredo! There honestly isn’t one thing that I would change about the food, the service, the beverages or the company! Where to begin?
For starters there were fresh chips and salsa on the table which is always a favorite of mine. I love that you can nibble on them while perusing the menu and conversing. It makes it even better that we had two delicious salsas to choose from! Although I can’t remember the specifics about them I know that both were tasty and I definitely want to eat them again!
First up was Salmon Tapas paired with a Lemon Drop Patron tequila cocktail. Now let me say I knew there was going to be tequila at the event but I was totally blown away by all of the cocktails we were able to sample. More on that later. The salmon tapas were beautifully presented and totally tasty. The Lemon Drop cocktail paired perfectly with the fresh fish because what goes better with fresh fish than a little lemon? Definitely one of my favorite cocktails of the night!
Next was the pumpkin soup which was my favorite of the night. I am totally crossing my fingers that one day it is added to their regular menu because it was THAT good. It was topped with apples and the combination was absolutely delicious. It was paired with a pink cosmo cocktail that was sweet and paired perfectly with the savory soup.
For my entrée I ordered the mignon tacos. They came with spicy potatoes and creamed corn on the side. The plate was beautifully presented and the smooth creamy corn was the perfect pairing for the spicy tacos and potatoes. The shrimp on the side were perfectly cooked. (I am starting to drool as I write this!) The cocktail that was paired with the entrée was a spicy jalapeño tequila cocktail that, although it was totally different than something I would usually order, ended up being my favorite cocktail of the night! The sweet and spicy combo worked perfectly together!
Last but not least was dessert! I am known for going to a restaurant solely for their dessert selection and I must say that Cantina Laredo’s dessert definitely took the cake! The pistachio tres leche cake paired with pistachio ice cream I must say was one of my favorite desserts of all time. The ice cream tasted fresh with large pieces of pistachio mixed in. I was definitely impressed! The coconut margarita cocktail was perfect paired with the cake!
And that was just the food! The staff was so inviting and entertaining! Adam was a great host and server who kept the mood light and the conversation flowing. It made the meal even better being surrounded by others who enjoy delicious food and cocktails. Overall such a great Unilocal Elite event. It made me so excited to be a part of this awesome community of foodies! I cannot wait to head back to Cantina Laredo and sample more of the menu!

I wish there were more stars to give, but 5 is not enough. This is easily the best and most well enjoyed Elite event!
I enjoyed Carver Bank and the Endless summer, but all the others pale in comparison to this one. I like to be early to Elite events to make sure I get parking and find a good spot. Upon arrival I asked the host were the Unilocalers were going to be and was led to a private enclosed area that was well laid out and very inviting. Per normal, I found our awesome CM and started chatting. The spread looked really cool. New swag items were quickly grabbed and I found what seat I wanted and placed some belongings there.
I knew we were going to be having a four course meal and Tequila, but I also have been known to like beer so I went to the bar and ordered a Dos Equis. Very tasty indeed.
Adam was our server and as others indicated, he was so fun. Smiling and cheerful the entire time and handling requests with joy. I could tell he really loves his job. That is important these days. Marcus the Manager was fun, too. I didn’t mind the good hearted jabs at being an herbivore.
We all started on the gluten free chips and house made salsa. I don’t know of another restaurant that has salsa that can compare to it. I would have preferred flour chips, but that is just me.
My first course varied as I am an herbivoret, so I had a delicious Masa con Avocado. I don’t know if that is the right way to word it, but the masa was nice and sweet and the avocado was just right to calm some of the heat down. Paired with the Lemondrop Margarita that was pure deliciousness. Full disclosure: I was getting double the drinks thanks to my proximity to Jamie!
The 2^nd course of Pumpkin soup was oh so good. Nice creamy texture and topped with cranberry and pepitas. It was really on point. Chef Israel has done an amazing job of taking this to the next level. As you know, this late in the season, we can be kinda pumpkined out. The Cosmotini was really sweet and just right at this point. We were all talking and having a blast. Amazing how a little bit of drinks can liven up the place.
3^rd course again varied from the others as I had a Portobella and goat cheese enchilada with asparagus on the side. That was phenomenal. Spiced with what I could gather was Ancho pepper; it was really good. I wish I had more than just one, but maybe next time. The Texas roadhouse martini with jalepeno and an olive was really the most interesting. I would have never ordered it at the bar, but I am glad I had the chance to have it. It was awesome!
Lastly the cake and pistachio ice cream was the endcap to a really great meal! The ice cream was my favorite as I am really not a cake person, but I did eat all of it. The coconut milk Pina Colada was also very tasty.
All in all, this was so fun. Since it was the best of the best (food and people wise) I inquired about getting some straight up tequila shots for those that wanted some. My heart went pitter patter when Marcus came in with a tray of Patron Silver in these fancy little glasses. Ahh Yisss. Perfect!
I grabbed an IPA or two around the corner and chatted with some old friends that had been there
I used my Lyft app on my phone and had a great time telling my driver that he needs to go to Cantina Laredo.
I am sure that the next Elite event is going to be great, but it is going to be hard to top this one. We are lucky to have Will S. and his connections (Krista) to make these events happen

Anything less than 5 stars for this would be a crime against good food.
This was my first Unilocal event and I have to say this set the bar very high! Prior to going to this event I called and spoke with Marcus, the general manager, about my food allergy to mushrooms. They explained they make their food fresh when ordered and do their best to prevent cross contamination for those with allergies. I was very thankful and promised a mushroom free dinner.
I arrived about 20 minutes early even after getting lost trying to find the place. It’s on the dodge side of midtown crossing for those wondering. If you had a car there is free parking right next door and for those on the bus it’s on several main bus lines including the ¹⁵⁄₅₅ and the 2.
The Unilocal swag was awesome, I got a shot glass, Ice cube tray, stickers, and a bandanna. Plus a strange card holder thing I’m honestly just going to put on my Christmas tress as decoration.
After meeting fellow awesome Unilocalers we sat down to our first course which was salmon tapas. To be honest I did not enjoy this dish, however, this is probably more due to my hate of cooked salmon than the wizardry of the chef. I ate the veggies and crackers off the plate and they were tasty. It was also served with a lemon drop cocktail. I don’t handle alcohol so I was given a lemonade, fantastic!
Then came out my second to favorite thing, this amazing pumpkin soup topped with cinnamon apples, pepitos, and other tasty things. Anyone who can make me enjoy pumpkin, especially in soup form, is a complete wizard in the kitchen. My hats off to you sir. This course was served with a (I believe) was the cosmolita martini, I was given this wonderful virgin orange and cranberry drink with margarita mix. It was a little overly sweet, however he did warn me. The mix of the salt with the sugar was amazing and made me feel even more welcomed.
They then took our order for the main course. I wish I had picked the quail as I like poultry more but I decided to be adventurous and go for the steak tacos with shrimp, potatoes, and corn. While we waited for our food to arrive I snacked on the chips and salsa provided when we first got there. I preferred the warm tomatillo salsa over the tomato based one. It had far more flavor and I plan on returning just for these. Everyone received this jalapeño martini, which I’m not jealous of as I hate spicy things. I received this virgin tequila sunrise type drink which was pineapple with something else I dunno but it was amazing and the best drink I had.
My tacos came out and they were okay. For a beef dish I say great, but I dislike even semi-​rare meat (steak lovers will pitchfork me now) and I thought it was tough and fatty. The potatoes were to die for and the corn was heavy on cheese and dairy but tasty. I also thought the asparagus could have been cooked a little longer. The shrimp was very spicy but had good flavor.
Somewhere between tacos and cake our local Unilocal fireman Shelby swiftly saved the building by extinguishing foliage set a blaze by mood lighting. It added a strange wooden incense smell to the room. LOL ^_​^
The final course came out with it’s accompanying cocktail a cherry and coconut milk with white tequila. I tried this and it was smooth, I enjoyed the cherry the most though. The cake was to die for. I thought the pumpkin soup would be my favorite until this lovely came out. Typical I’m not a fan of pistachios but I had to make an exception. The ice cream was smooth without graininess, the cake was fluffy and moist without too much sweetness and the plate was beautiful.
Throughout the event I was treated super well by the chef and the staff at Cantina Laredo. Each of my meals were made mushroom free and served to me personally by Marcus, the general manager. Care was taken not to kill me which I appreciate. Our wonderful server Adam was the shining highlight of the evening. I don’t think I could have been upset with him around even if I tried. He was the man behind the non-​alcoholic cocktails and I thank him for it. Heck I even got a hug at the end of the night for winning the trivia about agave plants.
All in all I met new friends who I hope to spend time with in the future and I’d be crazy to not attend more Unilocal events. Thanks everyone for making this newbie feel so welcomed! My husband was super jealous too!

Others have already hit on the high points (not that there were any low ones) of the night, so I’ll keep my review succinct. I had only dined here one other time previously, and actually had a pretty bad experience, so I was skeptical going in, but of course more than pleasantly surprised with the service (from Adam, Marcus, and Israel), the cocktails (the Texas Roadhouse being my favorite), and especially the food. I enjoyed all of the food, but the pumpkin soup was by far my favorite, and hope to see them add that to their regular menu. A close second was the pistachio cake — I love anything pistachio — it was a great, lighter dessert to end a fairly rich dinner. I’m very happy to have had the opportunity to attend this elite event, which has totally transformed my opinion of Cantina Laredo and has definitely inspired me to return there, now that I’ve experienced their excellent service (I noticed their GM, Marcus, responds to all Unilocal reviews and genuinely wants to make customers happy and fix mistakes) and made-​from-​scratch modern Mexican cuisine. Another great event, Will, and a huge thanks to all the staff at CL who made this happen! (And to Mike S. for the shots! :))

Let’s be honest, this is the definition of a five star event: amazing food, fantastic cocktails, and an awesome group of Unilocal elites! a huge thanks to Will and Cantina Laredo for getting this all set-​up! It was such a fantastic event!
The food was spectacular! I appreciated Adam, Marcus, and Israel paying special attention to us all night, carefully explaining all of the food and drinks we partook in. When we sat down, we had chips and two different salsas waiting for us. I thought both salsas were delicious, with one being hot, and one being cold.
Forgive me, as I don’t remember all of the specifics on all of the food or cocktails. What I do know, is that everything was delicious, and I had four different tequila cocktails, plus a shot of tequila. Perhaps I’ll blame my fuzzy brain on the tequila?
first we had a salmon tapa, followed by course two, which was a pumpkin soup. Both of them were absolutely delicious! I must admit, I went out on a limb with course number three, ordering the quail. Never having had quail before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I would classify it as a really tiny chicken, almost. Regardless, it was delicious, stuffed, and covered in a fantastic sauce. The confit potatoes were delicious. The vegetables were perfectly al dente. Just absolutely delicious.
Dessert was an outstanding pistachio cake, along with homemade ice cream. I really can’t say enough great things about dinner! Thanks again for the outstanding event!

Anything but 5 stars for this event would be a shame. Great job by Will putting it together. The food was awesome, the staff spectacular and even some super Unilocal swag. I’m not going to go in to detail about the food, the other reviewers have did a good job of that and I concur with them. I really like the look and atmosphere of the restaurant.
Adam, our waiter, was one of the many highlights of the night. Going into the event I was not a big tequila fan but the Patron gods may have swayed my opinion. Especially the jalapeño juice concoction. The highlight of the food items (and they all hit the mark) was the pumpkin soup, with all it’s creamy pumpkinny goodness.
I will be taking the wife and family back to Cantina and you should also give them a try.

I’ve been wanting to come here for a while… granted, I think the idea of high end Mexican food is funny, however I was very pleased with the food I tasted… As with all Elite events there was schwag, and I picked up a nifty flask… our group sat down and was brought out what for me was the best salsas I’ve ever had… one was cold, one was warm and both were great… Each course had signature tequila infused drink, and all I enjoyed, even the coconut rum mixture and I normally hate the taste of coconut… The first course involved fish, which for me was a concern since I hate all seafood… it was quite good though, but again not my thing… Next we had what I consider to be the best thing of the evening, a pumpkin soup that was perfect in every way… the main course for me was a stuffed quail that had some great cheesy potatoes on the side… the sauce the quail was in was excellent… the desert was a pistachio infused cake which I liked and there was a great mango sauce drizzled over it… there really was nothing wrong with anything and many kudos to Will for arranging this event…

First off a big thank you to Will and Cantino Laredo for hosting the event. It was my first Elite event (and won’t be my last) and it was a fun experience. An eclectic group of people with good food enjoyed by all.
For starters, Cantino has a real star in Adam, who was our server. The guy was funny, attentive and made the evening more enjoyable. Kudos also to the GM and Chef who were kind and informative.
To start off, there were fresh chips and salsa at the table (gluten free for those with dietary concerns). They were very good, and sorry for the stained table cloth with my drips! All of the food was paired with a Tequila-​based cocktail. Our first course was Salmon Tapas paired with a ‘Lemon Drop’ cocktail. Not being a big seafood person, this was my least favorite dish, but it was definitely fresh and presented nicely. Second course was the pumpkin soup paired with a ‘Cosmo’. The soup was the winner of the night as other indicated. If Cantina Laredo is listening, they will add it to the menu! For the main course I decided on the Quail, paired with a ‘Texas Roadhouse’ Martini. The quail was cooked well, stuffed with cornbread stuffing, a nice, spicy sauce, potatoes and fresh veggies. The martini was very complex, with a little heat to it, and paired well with the meal. To finish off the meal was a beautifully presented Pistachio cake and ice cream. It was paired with a ‘Piña Colada’ drink. Definitely a sweet end to the event.
It was a great time, and I will definitely go back to Cantino Laredo again. Good food, and the service was great.

Wow… what a fabulous Unilocal event! It’s been awhile since I’ve been to Cantina Laredo, so was really looking forward to the special tequila dinner and it didn’t disappoint. In fact… it totally exceeded my expectations!
The service was fantastic! Our server Adam was awesome. He was very informative, entertaining and kept us smiling! We were seated in a private party room which made the experience more personal than sitting in the main restaurant! The general manager Marcus took the time to explain a little bit about the restaurant to us, and also how they make their chips every day. The chips and salsa were very good and fresh. Some of the better chips and salsa I’ve had.
I loved that a new tequila drink came with each course and was specifically made to pair with each course. As each course was served, Adam would explain the cocktail for the course, and as food was being served the chef would stand at the head of the table and describe in detail the dish. So fun! Felt like we were judges on Top Chef!
The first course was salmon tapas and a lemon drop cocktail. Normally I would not even taste seafood here in a landlocked state… but since strangely it did not smell of fish, I decided to try it. I have to say it was pretty good, and for me to say that it was surely fabulous! Next course was a pumpkin soup that was delicious. The cranberries and pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top finished off this soup perfectly. Unfortunately it’s not on the restaurant’s regular menu, but from all the compliments they received I suspect it could be someday! I ordered the mignon tacos which were very good. The steak may have been done a little too well for my preference, but was still very tasty. The creamed corn on the side was very good, as were the potatoes with onions. Both had a comforting flavor with a spicy kick that crept up on you! I also enjoyed the jalapeño infused cocktail that accompanied my entrée! Dessert was almost to pretty to eat. Almost. I’m really not a dessert person, but could hardly pass up the pistachio cake and pistachio ice cream with what I believe was a mango drizzle. The coconut cocktail paired well with this! Fantastic meal through and through… even topping all this off with a shot of Patron!
A huge thanks to Will and to Cantina Laredo for a fantastic meal! Made me remember I’ve been away from Cantina Laredo for too long! See you soon!

This was an outstanding event. Let’s start with the service. Our server Adam was phenomenal. Not only was he very knowledgeable about the food and drink we were being served, but he also had a wonderful personality. Very charismatic and great sense of humor. The general manager Marcus, was also a great addition. He added some interesting background information about tequila and detail regarding the restaurant. He was very accessible to anyone who had questions. The chef Israel, also took the time as each course was being brought out to provide a more detailed description of what was being presented. Marcus informed us that what we were being presented was intended to mirror the tequila dinner the restaurant offers. It definitely appealed to me as something I might want to do in the future based upon this positive experience.
Now, onto the food. Our tables had fresh chips and salsa when we arrived. We were informed that these are made fresh daily and you could definitely tell that was true.
We were presented a four course meal that had cocktails meant to compliment each dish. I went into this thinking that we were going to be sampling small tastes of various tequilas, boy was I wrong! The first course was a salmon tapas with lemon drop cocktail. Cocktail was great. It went down a little bit to smoothly. The salmon was good, but probably my least favorite item of the night. Next up was pumpkin soup. This was the winner in my mind. It had a wonderful balance of sweet and spicy. The cranberry pico and spicy pumpkin seeds on top were a great compliment. I know this was mentioned several times but it should definitely be a permanent addition to the menu.
For my entrée I chose the quail. I have never had quail, and I love dark meat so this was a great choice for me. The vegetables were crispy and the potatoes were seasoned appropriately. I enjoyed the spicy yet somewhat sweet stuffing inside the quail. Another favorite of the night was the Texas roadhouse cocktail that complemented the entrée. I loved the pickled jalapeño juice. The drink was initially sweet but went down spicy. For dessert we were served a pistachio cake and coconut margarita. As well as a fresh scoop of pistachio ice cream. A great way to finish the evening. The coconut margarita was also another excellent drink. as if we hadn’t had enough we were served a shot of patron tequila to end the night. This was a great event– Will as well as the staff at Cantina Laredo did a great job.

Talk about swaggy.
What do you get when you combine a bunch of crazy foodies, some tequila, and wait service/​staff that surpasses your expectations? A Unilocal event at Cantina Laredo!
Since the reviews already written way surpass anything I could write let me just share my highlight reel:
1. Fireman Shelby B putting out the fire caused by the romantic lighting
2. Meeting some new Unilocaly friends and re-​acquainting with old ones
3. Mike S treating us to a round of shots (SHOTS SHOTs SHOTS!)
4. Of course, the amazing drink and dining menu… durrr
5. Adam, who was hella fabuulus
Cant wait to see you all again. Thanks to Will and Krista for this Unilocaly spectacular event.