cantina laredo.

i've been wanting to try cantina laredo for some time now ... it's a restaurant located downtown on state street, serving "authentic mexican dishes in a sophisticated atmosphere." you can see why i'd be interested.  

so when it was birthday celebration time for me and my brother-in-law, two lovers of of delicious mexican food, i thought that cantina laredo would be the perfect place. 

here we are, birthday peeps!

 aaron & me.

anyway, here's what i had ...

superfruit mojito :

 bacardi dragonberry, mint, agave nectar, blackberries, blueberries & lime.

 wow, so great. i could drink these all night ... bad idea.

chips & salsa :

 left : warm salsa. right : roasted smoky salsa.

also, super tasty. the warm salsa was amazing ... and the chips were nice & light. yum. 

chips & guacamole :

made fresh at the table.

yum! perfectly ripened avocado & super fresh additional ingredients. the consensus at the table was that it could use a bit more cilantro, but i was quite pleased with the flavor. i ate several scoops. mmm.

enchilada de avocado :

avocado and artichoke enchilada topped with tomatillo sauce on bed of spinach.

normally, vegetarian & gluten-free, prepared vegan with no cheese.

so so so so so good. all the veggies were crisp, fresh & flavorful. again, the avocado was perfectly ripe. really, the perfect vegan meal for me.

non-vegan birthday dessert :

thought i'd share anyway. looked tasty!

in conclusion ... i really liked cantina laredo. like, a lot. their menu only has a couple options for vegans, but that is okay, because the ones they do have are awesome. also, their menu items are clearly marked as vegetarian and/or gluten-free. and i definitely appreciate places that are aware of various dietary restrictions. 

so if you're looking for "authentic mexican dishes in a sophisticated atmosphere," cantina laredo is a great place to try.