First, let me explain what criteria I use in my reviews on restaurants. First is atmosphere, second is food, and Thirdly is wait staff and Finally price. So with that being said we hopped in the car and went and watched a movie and then headed out to get something to eat. At first we wanted to stop at Bonefish Grill but they didn’t open up until 4pm and I really wanted some tacos. That's when we stopped at Cantina Laredo at the Wiregrass Mall in Wesley Chapel, Fl.
The Caption on the website reads as this- Cantina Laredo serves authentic Mexican dishes in a sophisticated atmosphere. We offer daily fish specials, grilled chicken and steaks complemented by signature sauces such as chipotle-wine with portobello mushrooms or sauteéd artichoke hearts and roasted red bell peppers.
Sounds good, I knew my boyfriend was not really into Mexican food, however since they were spinning the dishes as Gourmet Mexican Food, he may actually enjoy it. For the most part he did. The atmosphere was pleasant and the color pallet used in the restaurant suite the theme well with there tans, blacks, and browns. We arrived around 4pm and the bar already had two or three people sitting there, and the dinning area had 7 or 8 other tables filled. I would imagine you could sit roughly 200 people if not a little more in the restaurant. Our booth was across from the bar and the flat screen TVs kept catching my eye as I ate the complementary salsas and chips. The televisions are Something typical I see at bars and sports club but really the televisions felt out of place to me.
Cantina Laredo is positioning the restaurant as a sophisticated Gourmet Mexican Food why would you need two flat screen TVs on the sports channel? Another thing that took away from the restaurant’s sophistication was when we got our meal. On my dish was a medium to small ramekin of queso. The ramekin was cracked and splitting like someone had previously dropped it on the floor. To me, these two things took some of the "Sophistication" out of the restaurant but overall the atmosphere at Cantina Laredo was nice and inviting.
Now let's talk about the food! Cantina Laredo had a nice selection of Mexican fair on the menu. They had a Table Side preparation of Guacamole, Beef, Chicken and Pork dishes with spicy sauces on them and most of all an extensive Tequila menu ranging from 6$ to 30$. I wanted Tacos so I settled on a dish called Tacos Al Carbon and Randy choose to have the Carnitas with a spicy poblano sauce.
The Tacos Al Carbon dish came with three soft shell tacos filled with either grilled chicken or beef with a side of queso, Spanish rice, and an order of beans. On top of my tacos were fresh slices of avocados and tomatoes, inside the taco was just chicken or beef. Something was missing though. I wish I had a crunch factor in the tacos. I ended up dipping the chips in my queso to give me that crunch factor. Shredded lettuce would have been perfect addition to these tacos too. The flavor factor was lacking in this dish as well. For example, the avocados could have been grilled since they were just beginning to be ripe in order to add some more in-depth flavor or at least spices could have been added to the chicken or beef. Overall the tacos were pretty flavorless and a big let down for me. The Borracho Beans however were the best part of the meal. I for one do not like pinto beans however these were simmered in beer and flavored with peppers and tomatoes. A very welcomed addition to this meal.
Randy's Carnitas were really tender and fell off the bone. He received three carnitas, Spanish rice, and mixed veggies with almonds on top. Since he knew my dish was pretty much a bust he shared is Carnitas with me. The meat was so tender and flavorful that it just literally melted in your mouth. The portion sizes were good and the poblano sauce was just the right amount so that it didn't get into your vegetables or rice. There were a few drawbacks to this dish though and that was mainly the vegetables. They were a bit over done and limp and the almonds didn’t tie into the dish at all. It felt like it was a hap hazard afterthought. The Second thing was the sauce it was so spicy that it made the meat seem spicy as well and it took away from the flavor. With that being said I don’t eat alot of spicy foods; Randy does and he enjoyed the sauce.
This can break or make a resturant, the wait staff. Are they friendly, speedy, clean ect. Randy really liked them but I felt they were trying to hard to be helpful. I understand it’s a new establishment in the area but geesh! First off we had two wait staff for our table of two. A woman and a man who took turns coming over to check on us and the food and then we had what I assumed a manager come over and ask us if we liked our meal. I wouldn’t mind this so much but really I don’t need all three to ask me how my meal is going all at the same time. Out of the two wait staff, I felt the man had more personality of the two as he provided us his personal recommendations and what he likes to eat while he is there. I was glad to say it wasn’t any of the specials or the most expensive thing on the menu that he enjoyed most so you got the since he was being genuine. The woman made drinks behind the bar and talked to the bar patrons more so then our table which was fine with me as two wait staff seemed excessive to me.
There were a few things that did bother me though. First please don’t take my order when you have someone else’s dirty Margarita Glasses in your hands. Its gross plain and simple. Secondly please let me know when you’re planning to reach across my plate to get my drink glass. I would have gladly have given you the glass so I can continue to eat my meal without your armpit in it.
Last but not least the price. For one Margareta on the rocks, Tacos Al Carbon and Carnittas we spent a $48.45 My Tacos Al Carbon was 17.29. The Carnitas was 19.99 and the Margareta was 8.00. Overall I felt the Prices were inflated to the point of ridicules. For example They had what they called "Top Shelf Guacamole" was 9.49. There selling point was "we use fresh avocados and prepare it tableside" My thought was so if we get it from the back it’s not fresh? They also had Enchiladas De Chile Relleno- 12.49, Oaxaca Camarones Con Tocino- Shrimp filled with oaxaca cheese, jalapeño, and wrapped in smoked bacon 19.99. Look to spend anywhere from $15.00 to $25.00 per person when eating at Cantina Laredo for dinner.
I would not be going back to Cantina Laredo except for Happy hour on a Friday after work. They have $3.00 margaritas and some smaller dishes ranging from the $2.00 to $5.00 range. Overall Rating for Cantina Laredo is a C. I could really take it or leave it but ultimately you will have to decide whether or not you want to eat there.