Sizzling Fun and Focused Flavors at Cantina Laredo

Walking into the year-old Cantina Laredo restaurant situated in the King of Prussia mall about 30 miles west of Philadelphia is a pleasant if unremarkable experience. Furnished in rich browns and cool grays, with semi-circular banquettes set into the walls and a large bar situated to one side, the place is appealing without being overwhelming. Nothing particularly screams “Mexican fusion”—any type of cuisine might lie in wait.

All that changes once you sit and have a look at the menu. Arranged traditionally, with appetizers, soups and salads; specialties; entrees; and desserts, the menu is focused and clean—the mark of a restaurant that knows exactly what it is.

The general manager and proprietor, Mark Watson, came out to greet us, and informed us that we were in for a treat—a four-course tasting menu prepared especially for us.

To start, he had the bar send us two specialty drinks: A pineapple margarita, and a mango mojito. Both were excellent, if sweet (especially the mojito), with fresh fruit, and in the case of the mojito, freshly muddled mint and a sugar-cane stick.
|
We also enjoyed chips and two varieties of excellent homemade salsa, one fiery-hot and served warm, and one on the milder side.

Our knowledgeable and friendly waiter, Abraham, then prepared our first course tableside—the homemade guacamole. This should be ordered just for the freshness of the ingredients and the spectacle at your table.

Fresh avocados were crushed with the zip of lime and jalapenos, cilantro, salt, and other fresh ingredients. Paired with Laredo’s whisper-thin homemade tortilla chips, this is a must-have.
My dining companion and I both found it a trifle salty, but otherwise excellent.

Next came our appetizers—a trio composed of two tuna tartare tacos, two carnitas tacos al carbon, and two shrimp and chorizo empanadas. My favorite was the carnitas taco; its meaty, sour flavor combined perfectly with the homemade soft corn tortilla.

It reminded me of the authentic Mexican street food I enjoyed in Houston. My wife enjoyed the tuna taco, made with sushi-grade tuna. The empanadas was doughy and delicious, yet the shrimp was a trifle scarce.

Our main course was ready just as we were finishing our appetizer. The house specialty, Camaron Poblana Asada, stopped us both in our tracks. Two thin slices of flank steak, each bearing diamond-shaped grill marks, wrapped themselves around a roasted poblano pepper, which was stuffed with melted Monterey Jack.

Gorgeous—and delicious. Served with excellent jasmine-lime rice and roasted asparagus, the steak was fork tender, perfectly seasoned, and tremendously addictive. It was easily our favorite of the savory courses.

Yet we couldn’t ignore the other two main offerings—a wonderful vegetarian enchilada with tender artichoke hearts, and two bone-in carnitas, or braised pork shanks. The latter, tender and smother with chipotle-wine sauce, were melt-in-your-mouth succulent and worth the price of admission.

But hang on folks—the best was yet to come. Another tableside treat, our dessert was something out of a gastronomic fantasy. Abraham first slid a large wedge of homemade apple pie onto a hot cast-iron plate. To this he added cool cinnamon ice cream.

And then, the piece-de-resistance:

A generous scoop of warm, sweet brandy butter that instantly bubbled to life on the hot metal. Delicious smells of apple, cinnamon, and warm brandy filled the air, and we dug in. Easily the best part of the night, the sweet, hot apple pie combined succulently with the butter and ice cream, and though we were stuffed to the gills, we couldn’t stop eating had our lives depended on it.

The service at Cantina Laredo was nothing short of excellent from the time we were welcomed inside to the time we walked out to our car, and we will certainly be back many times in the future.

Don’t let this laser-focused, authentically inspired restaurant’s suburban look fool you—this place knows exactly what it wants to be, and it achieves that goal with aplomb.

4.5 Stars out of 5.

We ended our night with a stay at the Hyatt House, in a tower suite overlooking the mall, with a fantastic breakfast in the morning.

PLUS: 

• Tequila Dinner- An exclusive four-course dinner with Don Julio Tequila pairings on November 11, beginning at 7 PM. The cost is $49.99/person and space is limited. 
• Veterans Day- All veterans and active military personnel can enjoy a complimentary meal (up to $15) on Veterans Day as a small thank you for their service.

Pictures by christine tarlecki and Stephen trimble. They may not be used, reproduced or reused for any reason. Please contact with any questions. 

By Stephen Trimble, guest blogger

Stephen Trimble is a freelance writer in the Philadelphia area.

Special thanks to:
Mark Watson and his team,
Ariel Vegotsky at Vault, and
Natalie McCrea at the Hyatt!

  

Eat, Shop, Stay, and Play in KoP!

This time of year is always so hectic, what with cleaning, entertaining, working…when does one get to relax? Maybe somewhere around the end of Christmas Day? And don’t forget the shopping and searching to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list!

Look no further- King of Prussia is the perfect place to embark on a shop-and-staycation! Stay, Play, Shop, & Eat- who says that hunting for the perfect gift has to be exhausting- turn gift giving into a gift for yourself as well! King of Prussia is home to the King of Prussia Mall, the largest mall on the East coast and is currently expanding to be even bigger- more stores and more places to dine!

Come for the weekend and stay and relax at the Hyatt House on Mall Boulevard. The Hyatt is a full service hotel with luxury rooms and suites, banquet and meeting facilities, a pool and hot tub, complimentary full breakfast every day, and a dining and bites area. Sink into your bed each night and drift away on a cloud, feeling accomplished and knowing you are treating others while treating yourself. King of Prussia has many great hotels and inns in the area, so stay and relax.

During a hard day of shopping for others, it’s time for a great meal for yourself- eat at Ruth Chris’s Steak House, which now offers lunch. Salads, chicken, and delicious grilled steaks are on offer for a quick and sumptuous lunch to fuel up before tackling the afternoon to shop.

Don't forget- the KOP Mall offers a free Holiday Shopper Shuttle to provide shoppers easy access around the property. When you come back to the hotel, relax in the hot tub, and take a nap, or head back to the mall for an evening of browsing. If you are bringing your child to see Santa Claus, skip the lines and make an appointment to be on your way faster, and less chance of a baby or toddler meltdown. Kids can't wait to meet Santa, but you don't want to wait in line- Make an appointment to visit Santa at simon.noerrsanta.com.

Stumped for gift ideas? Let the KoP gift guide assist you or utilize the Gift card promotion: Buy 3 or more Simon gift cards, receive complimentary packaging for each card-Available at Customer Service. 

Or try a special helper! Need some help finding the perfect gift, make an appointment with the Mall's Personal Shopper for some complimentary assistance! http://www.simon.com/king-of-prussias-personal-shopping-service

When a slice of pizza won’t cut it, try Morton’s Steakhouse for dinner. Complimentary valet parking, a relaxing bar, and an open air kitchen, this restaurant has it all. Begin with a drink – try the Ginger-politan or a dirty martini, and an appetizer or spicy lobster bisque and rich French Five-Onion Soup.  Try a tender fillet or fresh seafood with huge, ready-to-share savory side as such as potatoes au gratin or bacon and onion mac & cheese. During our dinner out, I opted for the crab cakes and shrimp Alexander- tender, flavorful and full of sweet crabmeat, while Stephen enjoyed the 8 ounce fillet with truffle butter.

We enjoyed so much delicious food, which fueled us for our evening outing- a night at the Valley Forge Casino. Just a short drive from the mall, or use the Hyatt’s complimentary shuttle service, we enjoyed a round of drinks while wandering the casino floor and discussing the coming entertainment- Smokey Robinson and then KC and the Sunshine Band. The VF Casino does a wonderful New Year’s Eve. The casino also does a great lineup of comedians.

Sunday found us refreshed from our comfortable bed and our delicious complimentary Hyatt breakfast- omelets to orders, eggs, sausage, fruit, waffles, potatoes and more- this was such a treat. After breakfast we checked out and headed back to the mall to continue our shopping, this time at the Court. We got a good deal done, then stopped for lunch at Legal Seafoods. We both enjoyed a drink – the old-fashioned old fashioned and white sangria with fresh oysters and the clam chowder- which Stephen has never had before- he loved it and said it was the best clam chowder he has ever had!

Finally we headed home, sated and happy, having shopped for everyone and had ourselves a mini-break. King of Prussia truly has it all!

Special thanks to Natalie McCrea at the Hyatt House in King of Prussia.

Special thanks to Morton’s Steakhouse Managers: Christopher Goss, General Manager, and
Kate Schumacher, Sales & Marketing Manager.

Thank you: Kathy Smith, Director of Marketing and Business Development, and Kate Johnson, Assistant Director of Marketing and Business Development.

A big thank you to Brooke Hersh at KOP-BID for all her assistance!