Cantina Laredo has been one of our longest running partners in the mission to end hunger, so during Hunger Action Month we wanted to feature them on The Feed. Tara Banda from Dallas Food Nerd visited one of their locations and gave us her take on everything from appetizers to drinks.

Next time you visit a Cantina Laredo location be sure to use your TangoTab app to get $10 Off. When you do that, TangoTab will feed a person in need locally. Here’s what Tara had to say about her experience…

Appetizers

Chips and Salsa: Being from Texas, I know better than to eat a lot of chips and salsa before meals. But the warm chips and fire-roasted salsa didn’t help me from doing better.
Fresh Guacamole: Hands down, this guac fits into my top 3 list in DFW. it’s made with perfectly ripened avocados and served with handmade corn tortillas.
Wild Red Snapper Ceviche: Fresh red snapper paired with a sweet pineapple and spicy serrano sauce. If you don’t think you like ceviche, give this one a try.

Tacos

Carnitas Tacos – These simple carnitas tacos are made with Berkshire pork and topped with the taco trifecta: queso fresco, cilantro, and diced onions. Definitely a good lunch option if you’re not looking for something too heavy.

Traditional Plates

Pollo en Mole: They take half of a chicken, grill it until there’s a char, and serve it with a homemade mole sauce with sesame brittle. I don’t know if you’ve ever had sesame brittle before, but after letting it soak in the mole for a while, it was like a spicy, nutty, and sweet candy at the end of the dish.

Guajillo Chile Glazed Tasmanian Salmon: Guajillo chiles are medium to hot chiles often used in Mexican dishes. Here, it’s made into a glaze and topped on a piece of salmon on top of grilled jicama, poblanos, and red cabbage. It’s a dish that leaves you satisfied without making you fill completely full … even though you probably will be after eating so many corn tortillas and guacamole (did I mention how good it was?).

Jalisco Berkshire Pork Chop: This was the last dish we tried, and by the time we got to it, I wish it would have been one of the first. (But hey, at least I had a great lunch the next day.) Served with glazed carrots, and a fantastic red-pepper sauce.

In a Category of Its Own

Elote Con Chile & Crema: Sweet corn, grilled, and topped with chile and cream. If this could be on every menu, everywhere, it should. Squeeze a little bit of lime on top … it’s really a must.

Dessert

Mexican Apple Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream: Because Fernando insisted that we couldn’t leave without having dessert. This warm apple pie (skillet hot, actually) is served with a delicious cinnamon ice cream (and that “delicious” comes from someone who isn’t a big cinnamon fan). It’s one of the few cinnamon items that I would intentionally order again.

Bebidas

Now, for nearly every order that came to the table, so did a new beverage. I spoke with their bartender on staff later in the evening, and she mentioned her momentary apprehension when we started to order drinks of the reposado and mezcal (the earthier and smokier cousins of tequila) variety. I assured her that they were very, very much enjoyed.

Pineapple Infused Rita: Probably one of the only letdowns of the evening, only because the pineapple flavor wasn’t as strong as it could have been. It did, however, taste like a great regular margarita. (Pineapple Infused Avión Reposado, Domaine De Canton Ginger Liqueur, Fresh Squeezed Lemon)

Perfect Patrón: Classic. Easy to drink. Is it perfect? If I were drinking it on a beach in Mexico, I’d say yes. (Patrón Silver, Patrón Citrónge Orange Liqueur, Fresh Squeezed Lime) 

 

Smoking Gun: Save the best for last, they say. And this, in my opinion, was perfection. There’s nothing you can really compare it to, so let’s just say it has what it takes to hang with the best Old Fashioned and Manhattan. (Los Amantes Reposado Mezcal, Gosling’s Ginger Beer, Orange Bitters, Agave, Luxardo Cherry … so of course it was great.)

A special thanks to our partner Dallas Food Nerd.