Elite Event – Golden Badge Dinner at Cantina Laredo

Unilocalers would often ask what the benefits of being Golden meant and I really couldn’t give an answer to now. This is my fourth year being Golden and intimate sit-​down dinners are a nice change from the hustle and bustle of your typical Unilocal Elite event.
There are only a handful — or maybe two handfuls of Golden Elite Unilocalers in Vegas. Allison J. is one of them and she was the very first Unilocaler I met during my first UYE in Vegas back in 2007. It was great to reconnect with someone that reminds me of the very beginning of Unilocal in Vegas, for me at least. She is a triple Gold Elite member.
It was also nice to meet some of the other Gold Elite members in Vegas, people that have been my friends for awhile and those who I have never encountered until that evening.
Our five course dinner with drink pairings included:
* Ahi Tuna Tacos and the Cantina Roll paired with a Jalapeño Margarita. It was a tasty beverage — one I would order again.
* Roasted Poblano Potato Soup paired with Negra Modelo. A hearty soup with a hearty beer.
* Ensalada Arandano paired with Milagro Berry Smash Margarita. A pretty stiff drink with a light salad.
* Seabass Oscar or Asada Y Camarones or Pollo Tampico paired with a Perfect Patron Margarita. Keep in mind this was our fourth drink, and they weren’t little portions of alcohol either. I think most Unilocalers were holding back since we all needed to drive home!
* Dessert was Dia Y Noche Flan with Patron XO Café Dark Cocoa. They gave us the Patron to pour into a cup of coffee, but it was surprisingly tasty on its own.
Overall, who doesn’t love an opportunity to sit down with fellow Unilocalers who love to eat and drink and are just happy to be included in this bunch? I have to give this event five stars just for existing in the first place! Next year’s Golden Elite dinner probably won’t be a sit down one with so many creeping on Gold next year. That will be an exciting one for sure. Looking forward to that one!
Being Elite didn’t mean anything in Vegas until 2010 when Misti came on board. And aren’t we glad she did? These events wouldn’t be happening if Las Vegas didn’t get a Community Manager (now currently holding the role of Community Director)!

Thanks Misti, you’re the bomb! I’m lucky to make it to more than one elite event per year, so glad I made this one!
Jalapeño Margarita? Yeah, that sounds awesome, and it was, and the chunky jalapeño slice was well, hot!
The ahi taco was also awesome, awesome enough to help myself to second one. I could have skipped dinner and ate these all night.
Super Special Potato Soup? Also awesome!
Cranberry apple blue cheese salad? I probably could have whipped up something better on my own.
Chips, guac, and salsa? I am not really into guac but this was something special. I don’t really know what set this apart from the rest of the pack but some things you don’t question. Eat it! Put it in your mouth! The salsas were good too and the chips were perfect.
Sea Bass and crab cake? Mehhhh crab cake was okay, Sea bass so so. Allison’s date caught me eying his bacon wrapped shrimp repeatedly and he generously offered me one. Damn, that was by far and away the best bacon wrapped shrimp I have ever had. The problem with wrapping stuff in bacon is getting the bacon to cook properly. This bacon was was at it’s peak of crispiness without being overdone and without drying the shrimp. Allison’s date complained that he couldn’t taste the shrimp… I don’t see the problem here, ha ha. If Santa was going to fill my stocking with these I’d behave all year long!
Dessert? So so. I prefer my flan to be more of the traditional style… not that I left a crumb of this on the plate though.
Booze? Yes, they served a lot of it, why do you think I come to elite events? ha ha. I enjoyed all of the drinks and was glad to get a chance to try the Patron XO.
The 5 stars for me was getting a chance to interact with a few of you for once. Hope I can make it out to another elite event before the year comes to an end.
Thanks again Misti, what a great night!!!

I feel like I should have written an acceptance speech as we were treated like honored guests complete with awards in the form of killer drinks, food, company and of course our hostess with the mostess, Misti. Also huge kudos to the management and wait staff of Cantina Laredo for making our stay comfortable and catering to our every need.
The evening featured a 5 course best of (sort of, some items we had aren’t on the menu) Cantina Laredo menu and let me tell you what, they really put their best foot forward. Ill highlight some of my favorites. Starting off with a Jalapeño Margarita complete with a thick slice of fresh jalapeño that garnished this delicious cocktail. Of course I chomped it down, sweet, fresh and f-​ing hot! Good thing the margarita was sweet *slurp* crisis averted. Along with the marg was a killer Ahi Tuna Taco that was light, crunchy and left me wanting another one. I did see there were a few remaining after everyone had one but I decided that there were way to many things still in store for us.
When we sat down there was a bowl of Roasted Poblano Potato Soup, mmm. it reminded me of my mother potato soup, smooth and creamy. Paired with the soup was an ice cold bottle of Modelo Negro. I only wished that the soup was hotter to have contrasted with the beer more, I love hot and cold pairings. Im not sure if the soup is actually on the menu, if you don’t see it ask.
For dinner I went with the Asada Y Camarones which was skirt steak topped with bacon wrapped shrimp. I also ordered a side of flour tortillas as I knew I was going to treat this as fajitas. The entrée was great but when Misti’s Pollo Tampico (a grilled chicken breast covered with veggies and a cream sauce) was brought in I was left wishing I had ordered that. Being a regular menu item Ill be sure to try that one on a future visit. Paired with our dinner, you guessed it, a Perfect Patron Margarita. I only had a few sips of this one (I was driving) and it left me wanting more.
The night was spectacular and was wonderful meeting fellow LV Unilocalers. I feel so special being part of such a great community! xo

Dang so this is what being Elite is all about huh?
I had the honor of being Rachel S’s +1 and it was well worth it. Cantina Laredo is an excellent upscale mexican restaurant located in the extremely gaufdy but beautiful Tivoli Village.
I passed on the ahi tuna tacos as I am not a big fan of seafood, but the jalapeño cocktails were awesome. A little spicy, a little sweet, definitely a unique drink. I was luck enough to have 2 bowls of the potato and corn soup and it was delicious, thick creamy and hearty.
The salad appetizer was great, I normally don’t like bleu cheese but it completemented the salad’s sweet dressing perfectly. You can tell they put a ton of thought into the food here. Next up

OH MY GOD. This is why being Elite is just so special!
The food — it was incredible.
1^st course: I could have eaten ahi tacos ALL DAY LONG. Seriously, they were absolutely delicious and I had 4 of them. I also had two pieces of the sushi roll and… 3 jalapeño cocktails (Don’t worry, they’re not strong in alcohol but strong on flavor!)
2^nd course: The potato soup was very delicious and served with one of my favorite beers — Modelo Negro. Clearly, they were trying to liquor us up at this dinner because there was a specialty paring for EVERY SINGLE COURSE!
3^rd course: Salad and Sangria — Not bad. The drink was STRONG.
4^th course: Chips, Salsa & Guacamole. Salsas consisted of a warm salsa that tasted like tomatillos and chicken, a cold salsa that I liked and guacamole. Not bad but I probably ate too many chips!
5^th course: Chilean Sea bass, crab cake, rice pilaf and zucchini. Okay, full disclosure here. My family eats pretty kosher — so crab is out of the question… except when they’re not with me and it’s a Unilocal event! HOLY COW, the crab cake was awesome. The fish was kind of bland, but the rice was incredible (and I hate rice) and the zucchini was fresh and al dente. The tequila cocktail was too strong for me to drink.
6^th course: I don’t like cake, but I love cheesecake and I like flan. Brownies are pretty great too. This dessert, which I could have sworn I took a picture (but it never made it into my camera) was awesome. It was like a thick cheesecake with a brownie on top, even though it was referred to as flan. It was served with a sniffer of coffee patron and a cup of black coffee. The alcohol was surprisingly delicious and I just poured it on the top of the dessert. For somebody who isn’t crazy about anything too sweet, the coffee balanced it nicely.
The BEST, and I mean BEST drink of the night was the cocktail Justin G. ordered that I basically drank ¾ths myself. He asked the waitress to just get whatever drink she liked best. She brought him the most orgasmic drink I’ve ever tasted — the superfruit mojito. It was like drinking a glass of gummy worms. It was incredible.
This was one of the nicest dinners I’ve been to with Unilocal and am so grateful that I’ve been an elite member for 5 years now. I love what Unilocal does and am so thankful that they treat me to this sort of stuff for reviewing businesses that I frequent!
Thanks Misti, Unilocal and Cantina Laredo!

I was so lucky to get included in the Gold Badge event despite me only being a 4 year Unilocaler! It was truly an enjoyable evening of indulgence. I met some of the Unilocal elites that initially inspired me to start writing reviews and they were just as inspirational in person.
Cantina Laredo was a perfect setting for this dinner. I appreciated that we started out at the bar for the first course, an ahi taco and cantina roll paired with the margarita made with jalapeño infused tequila. This was ideal for happy hour, and will definitely be ordered again on my next visit. The ahi taco combined with their guacamole was sublime! The next course of soup and beer was simple yet hearty. I’m not usually a beer drinker but totally enjoyed the dark Negro Modelo’s robust flavor. The salad was light and fruity paired with a Milagro Berry Smash Margarita. The drink was a little strong for my liking and since I drove myself to the event, I drank only a few sips. The Sea bass Oscar stole the show for me. The fish was moist and delicate and grilled flawlessly. The crab cake on the top may have been a little soggy from the sauce but came through for me in flavor. I attribute the sogginess to the amount of time it took to prepare and serve 20+ dishes at the same time. The jalapeño buerre blanc was divine and executed superbly, not too heavy and not too thin. The rice and zucchini served as suitable accompaniments lending a subdued fresh flavor to the dish. I can definitely say I will order this dish again. The Perfect Patron Margarita was exactly that; perfect. Lastly, the Dia Y Noche Flan was served with the most exquisite coffee infused tequila, Patron XO Café Dark Cocoa. Just a sip of the smooth drink filled my mouth with warm toasty chocolate luxury.
Thanks Misti for an amazing evening of excellent food and wonderful people! I’m so thankful to be a part of this Unilocal community!

Good times! Happy to be included in the group, even though I am not gold yet. Got to catch up with a lot of Unilocalers with a sit down dinner, my favorite type of Unilocal event. The servers really pushed the alcohol — they kept giving the pregnant lady booze! The Cantina Roll and Dia Y Noche Flan were my favorite dishes.
The back room was quite small and the poor servers kept going out a side door into the cold to make it easier to serve. That must have sucked a bit. Despite the cramped conditions, it was definitely a good time. Thanks to Misti for including a lowly 4 badge elite!

As a 4 year Unilocal Elite I was more than excited when I was allowed to attend this event with some truly Golden Unilocalers. This event was unlike any other Elite event I had previously attended because of how intimate it was. I much prefer a sit down dinner where you have a chance to get to know your fellow Unilocalers over a crowded event where you can barely hear yourself think. With the new Golds I’m hoping this type of event can be replicated moving forward.
The meal itself was interesting to say the least. I feel like Cantina Laredo was attempting to get us all drunk which can never be a bad thing. Aside from the food the company was great and I am glad I got the chance to get to know some people that I wouldn’t likely talk to in a larger Unilocal setting.
I also wanted to give a big thank you to Misti as always for being an incredible CM and setting up unique events. Every time I think it can’t be any better you truly outdo yourself. Here’s to several more years of Las Vegas Unilocal Eliteness!

I was so happy to be included in the Golden Badge Dinner even though I’m a year short! When I walked in it was nice to see our area decked out in gold décor. It made the space feel very warm and comforting! It was also cool to see Unilocalers I haven’t seen in a long time like Holly and Terri.
We started the first course in the bar area. Jalapeño Margaritas with Ahi tacos greeted us. I was in love at first sip of the Margarita. You would think it would have a hot pickly taste but it was sweet after you take a sip it goes down hot. Loved it !! I wanted to drink one more but I didn’t want anyone to think I was a raging alcoholic! I was proud and glad I tried the Ahi Tacos. I am typically afraid to eat raw fish but it tasted fresh and sweet. It had a non fishy taste which I was happy about. The guacamole paired with the tacos were awesome!
When we went back to the intimate dining space we had Roasted Poblano Potato Soup waiting for us. It was a welcomed sight because it was a chilly night! It warmed me up. It was paired with a Negra Modelo beer it tastes bitter but I wanted to take a couple of sips so I can describe it. After a couple of sips I came to the same conclusion it’s bitter.
The soup was followed by a salad. It was called Ensalada Arandano. The salad came with Spinach leaves, green apple slices, crumples of (blue cheese?). I liked the balance of the strong flavor of the cheese with the sweetness of the fruit and dressing. The salad was paired with a Milagro Berry Smash Margarita. This was not as sweet as the Jalapeño Margarita. Maybe it was made with a different type of alcohol.
Cantina Laredo was so generous in their offerings that they even gave us a choice of main entrees. We had a choice of chicken, steak, or fish. I chose the Sea bass Oscar. It was pan seard and topped with a crab cake and a Jalapeño burre. It had a delicate soft taste. The crab cake added to the amazing flavor. Holly gave me her bacon wrapped shrimp it was good but the bacon was a little too salty for me. The entrée was paired with their Perfect Patron Margarita. This was Purrfect… I like my drinks sweet!
We ended the meal with a decadent Dia Y Noche Flan. This is the first flan I’ve ever liked because it was more like a cake. It was paired with a dark Patron which also tasted like dessert. Everything was so delicious!
I would like to thank Misti and Cantina Laraedo for putting on such a wonderful event! My taste buds and I had lots of fun!

With only four years under my belt, I was fortunate to be included with the group of five year veterans. It was an honor to join in their celebration. Cantina Laredo set up their private room for us and prepared a feast. Our first course was served in the bar. We nibbled on the Cantina Roll… sushi in a Mexican restaurant? Why yes! And it was delicious. Tuna, jalapeño and cream cheese, and chipotle aioli, oh my. Along side the roll was a scrumptious Ahi Tuna taco. I can’t say I’ve ever had a tuna taco before. I was missing out. I just loved the Tanteo Jalapeño tequila margarita. Agave and jalapenos, a match made in heaven.
Eager to see what more was to come, we were led back to the private dining area to enjoy the rest of the meal. Next up was poblano potato soup. Creamy and comforting it balanced nicely with the Negra Modelo. A fresh mixed green salad was next. It wasn’t overly dressed which is a huge win in my book. I was able to enjoy the leafy greens, the sweetness from the fruit and the bite of the blue cheese. The Milagro Blackberry Smash was a bit strong at first, but it mellowed and the berries won me over.
Between courses we sampled the house salsas and guacamole. The guacamole was really delicious. I could make a meal of that alone! Yum.
It was nice to have an option for the main course. I selected the Sea Bass. It was a hearty portion topped with a crab cake and served with zucchini and rice. The Patron Margarita is one of my favorites and this one did not disappoint.
I was stuffed silly, but dessert was still to come. Moist chocolate cake and cheesecake flan was paired with Patron XO Café Dark Cocoa. It was a nice end to a great meal.
Misti and Bobby are awesome as always. Muchas gracias Cantina Laredo!

I love gooooooold!
It’s hard to believe I’ve been on Unilocal for 6 years. Thanks to Misti, Unilocal and the staff at Cantina Laredo for hosting such a great dinner for the LV gold elites! You can’t beat a great dinner with great company and it was certainly all that.
Cantina Laredo was generous to hook us up with a great 5 course dinner and drink pairings for each course as well. Most of the drinks consisting of tequila mix with the exception of the Negra Modelo that went perfectly with the potato soup course.
Stand out dishes for me included the deep fried ahi roll which went great with their guacamole, the sea bass topped with crab cake as the main entrée and the delectable flan/​chocolate dessert which came with the most interesting tequila I’d ever tasted. I have to call them to find out exactly what it was because that’s the kind of stuff the most interesting man in world would be drink. «I don’t always drink tequila, but when I do…». It was like a cross between tequila and coffee or something.
I was really impressed with all of it. Consider me a repeat customer!
edit: Sheila G and Misti informed me that the liquor was Patron XO Café Dark Cocoa! Amazing stuff.