Elite Cocktails With José Andrés

Had a GREAT time at this elite event! Was wary of the food based on the below average reviews of China Poblano, but everything I ate that evening was truly delicious minus the potent gin martini that even made my trained liver scream «whoa, dial it back!».
Served that evening were guacamole (which I partook little of becuase of an allergy), a gin and tonic, a couple different shumai, some tacos and this mango sticky rice that would be the perfect dessert for any occasion. Had I written my review sooner, I’d have some more in depth reflections on it, but it was a couple of weeks ago and all I remember was that everything I had was delicious, the service great and the gin and tonic may have changed my ill-​will feelings toward gin.
Jose Andres was in attendance and was making the rounds and from what I could tell a pretty nice guy. Also, The Arctic Monkeys who were playing later that evening at the Boulevard Pool stopped by for a bit however I didn’t know it was them until I got to the pool and realized I was sitting five feet away from them. Talk about a missed opportunity (to be annoying and starstruck)!
Overall a great time!

I’ve already broken the 5001 character limit today, so I’ll keep this one succinct. I feel everyone has done a great job covering the highlights of the evening. I’ll call it surreal. I’ll say it’s the best event I will ever attend, unless you put me next to the gods of pastry in a grand tasting. I’ll apologize for my «cocktail attire» being that of an off-​duty line cook, as I learned about this opportunity super last minute and without a change of clothes, besides those of the gym variety.
I love José Andrés. When I left my house in south Florida a few years back driving to an internship in Maryland, his Café Atlantico in Washington D.C. was my first stop when I arrived in the morning. Latin Dim Sum Brunch, vegetarian tasting menu with a salt air margarita. His food is insanely fun. China Poblano is the only restaurant I’ve reviewed on two separate ocassions thus far. I may even update this review if I forget an important detail. The mediocre reviews for China Poblano are all wrong, but many people are content with boring food and don’t deserve to eat the creations of a Spanish culinary genius.
I try to stay clear of gin, but this amazing gin and tonic changed my mind! Thankfully, no green onions were present in my drinks. I was very happy to sample the fresh guacamole, as it’s quite pricy on the regular menu. That’s some tasty avocado, seasoned perfectly and with diced jalapeño providing some heat. I told one server I was vegetarian, and he immediately directed the server carrying veggie dumplings in my direction. Talk about impressive service! Chef Andrés clearly hires good people who are passionate about the food they serve or cook. I knew I had died and gone to Barcelona when I saw little bowls of my beloved mango sticky rice dessert being passed around. Anyone who enjoyed the little taste at this event really needs to return to enjoy the full version at the restaurant, because it’s all about that mango ice hidden inside.
It is very safe to say that this was my personal geekiest event in the whole month of Nerd activities. I’ve got the autographed icing spatula to prove it. I’m usually quiet and shy, but being in an inspiring room with a Spanish chef I admire, great food, great drinks, perfect music, and pleasant company is a different story. Just ask my two cats, Elena and Ferran, in whose honor they are named.

I started this night with no expectations whatsoever and it turned out to be such a fun night. China Publano has a very good vibe and interesting decoration and a good atmosphere. The little mexican-​chinese fusion creations were good and interesting in taste. The drinks looked good and tasted good. My favorites were the tacos and the shrimp and from the drinks I liked the Cosmo’s that came with a piece candy that we had to melt in our mouth before sipping on the drink. As if this night wasn’t perfect already, we also met some fellow Unilocalers and got to meet Jose in person.

Good event, even if it wasn’t hosted by Unilocal!And wouldn’t you know it… Jose Andres was actually there! Wish I had a chance to actually meet the guy, he was surrounded pretty much the entire night.
The entire fiasco of just finding parking at The Cosmopolitan was almost a deal breaker! Come on, 20 minutes to find a spot? But I gotta say it was worth the drive and the dressing up. Chris-O…Suave and his lady had a great time! So many pretty people in this place, guess it doesn’t help that it’s right across from the club!
After getting in thru the door at China Poblano we were warmly greeted by one of the servers, who politely asked us if we wanted a drink. Yes, of course we do! We were shown to the bartenders where hooked us up. All I can say is wow… the Ultimate Gin & Tonic was killer! Fancy with the ice ball instead of cube! Fancier with the separate bottle of tonic water they pour for you before service! And the taste was spot on! Great gin, easy to sip, very tasty. I had two of t hese things, and I don’t drink gin!
Here I thought we would just get a bite here and there of some of China Poblano’s offerings. Was I wrong, we were fed good! Endless rounds of food going all over the place. We literally had one of everything… more than one on almost everything:
–Fresh chips and guacamole
–Shrimp and Pork Shumai
–Ahi Tuna Ceviche (man this was scrumptious, I should have jacked more of those spoons)
–Hot and Sour Soup
–Frites with Mole Sauce
–Carnitas Tacos (my fav of the night, topped with chicharones! Yes please!)
–Mango and Coconut Sticky Rice
–Churros with Chocolate Sauce
And the hits just kept coming and coming. We ate it up! Once we were done with a round of drinks and food, out came a server to clean up and ask us if we wanted anything else. Of course, it doesn’t hurt at all to tip your servers… I did this with the first two and we were set for the night! They just kept coming back with food and drink, made me feel like a king!
Seriously though, those servers were friendly and worked hard the entire event. Props up for them. The event ended up being very enjoyable, and now I have no problem trying out Chino Poblano for dinner. Much thanks to Jose Andres, China Poblano, Unilocal,and Misti Mama (we missed you!) for letting us mingle at this event. I left with the night still young, a belly full of fanciful eats, and a good buzz. But that didn’t stop me from going to the super-​secret Pizzeria! I’ll save that for another review!

When I first walked in, I didn’t know what to expect and thought it would turn into a boring night and just tiny samples of food and maybe a drink here and there… but the small samples kept coming, filling me up quick and man, those shrimps were to die for! I was also a big fan of the chips and guacamole; the soup was a little too salty for me and the fries was very different. it wasn’t bad… just ‘different’. The martini-​looking drink was sooo strong, but after a long day, its exactly what i needed! There were a few other drinks that I enjoyed too but I cant think of their names for the life of me. Met a few Unilocalers here and got to hang out with good friends and even got a picture Jose Andres! From then on, the night got better and once it was over, I was sad to leave but friends and I decided to gamble to complete the night… lucky night for us– good food, good booze, win money! Cant complain!

A little late with this one. Similar to everyone else I was expecting a «sampling», you know maybe a couple siu mai here and there, a drink or two, an event that is really more focused on socializing than feeding you. Fortunately it was nothing like I imagined, it was a billion times better!
Getting in was a process that took a mere couple seconds and getting started on drinks and food was in a quick fashion as well. Tons of servers everywhere with food in their trays, taking away plates, and taking cocktail orders. Tasty bites from the kitchen did not stop coming out, lemon shrimp after lemon shrimp, taco after taco, churro with chocolate dipping sauce after. you get the point. I pretty much enjoyed everything except the hot and sour soup, it just wasn’t for me. Can’t say the same for the «Ultimate Gin and Tonic», I am still thinking about it a couple days later.
Overall crowd was nice, food was great, environment was cool, servers were awesome… except the siu mai girl, I think she was trying to avoid me. China Poblano wasn’t very attractive to me originally, interesting concept, but seemed pricey and I was afraid of disappointment, however I can’t wait to have dinner here now. Thanks Jose Andres, China Poblano, Misti, and Unilocal for the great opportunity.

service was outstanding as was the setting. seating is not traditional at all as guests are seated at couches as if you’re in someone’s living room.

As the review is for the event and not the restaurant itself (at least not totally), I have to give it all five stars.
Entry was quick and painless; check the list, boom, done, have a great night! Waiting as you walked in were three lovely servers carrying trays of cocktails: gin and tonic, an elderberry Tom Collins, and a Miss Chang martini.
We found a table at which to stand and survey the goings on and were immediately offered all manner of yummy tapas-​type dishes:
— 2 types of shumai (siu mai?)
— 2 types of tacos (carnitas and barbacoa)
— lemon tree shrimp
— tuna «ceviche» (more of a tartare, IMHO)
— pork bun sandwich
— plaintain frites with mole sauce
— guacamole
— hot and sour soup
We wanted for nothing. If our small plates were empty, there was always someone smiling broadly, happy to fill them up with more food! There were some small misses: the taco barbacoa was too salty, the hot and sour soup had a sourness I didn’t like (tho, the texture was fantastic!). The lemon tree shrimp was phenomenal and the different shumai were awesome (can you say peanut butter?!).
The (strong) cocktails were also flowing freely and, I have to say, even though bubbles/​carbonation are on my No list… I have a new favorite gin and tonic (
) ! I liked the elderberry Tom Collins and Miss Chang, too. They were very flavorful and the presentation was gorgeous (straws that were threaded through plant stems was an understated yet beautiful idea!).
Aside from the food and drinks (though we all know that’s 80 percent of the impetus to crash these things, yes?), the people were warm and open, chatty, and friendly. The press and photographers did their job without it being pesky, the staff of the event were efficient and friendly and beyond accomodating.
The important part:
Chef is personable, friendly, and I wonder if he is capable of not smiling. He always seems to be engaged with his conversation companions and has a very down to earth, chill, «let’s all enjoy the food, drink, and company» vibe. My time with him was all of… what? Five minutes? It was enough to make me an even bigger fan as he answered questions, shared a bit of his own opinions, and exuded his genuine gratitude for touching people by doing what he loves with food and drink. I have so much respect for how he handled the event, handled the myriad of people vying for his attention, and for sharing of his very tangible love for this life and what he gets to do in it.
(And the fan in me had a squee moment taking my photo with him! Yay!)
All in all a fab evening with fab people in a fab space!

This was such a neat opportunity! I’m thrilled Unilocal Elites were extended an invite to this fun event with Jose Andres at China Poblano. I’ve heard so much about his restaurants in other cities, I highly anticipated his arrival in Las Vegas with two at Cosmopolitan. Despite my excitement I hadn’t yet tried China Poblano or Jaleo. What a great first impression left by this event!
My +1 cancelled last minute so I attended solo, I was warmly welcomed on arrival with a gin and tonic with a gorgeous ice sphere and berry & flower adornments. I was happy to find the Unilocal crew already enjoying bites and cocktails.
Servers rolled out of the kitchen at fierce pace. It was a bit overwhelming at first, you simply wanted to try it all. I sampled 8 bites, some were better than others. I loved the guacamole, it took great willpower to refrain from returning for seconds, thirds or even forths. It was creamy, fresh and spicy, just the way I like it. The Carnitas taco was another hit. Delicious! I also enjoyed the Chicken Jisong. The taco barbacoa was too salty for my liking and the «Don’t Be Jealous» hot & sour soup left me without envy. I did not care for the flavor and I found it difficult to eat.
I was only able to stay for an hour, but I greatly enjoyed my time dishing with Unilocalers over tasty bites. Meeting Jose Andres was a real pleasure.

This was such a neat event and great opportunity. I didn’t know quite what to expect going in, but I left very happy (and full and buzzed).
The small bites were plentiful (and yummy). The drinks were strong. And the staff were exceptional — very helpful and nice, and constantly coming around with something to eat and/​or drink.
This was the perfect opportunity to get all dressed up and mix and mingle like someone important. We were definitely all treated like VIPs.
I was already a fan of Jose Andres and China Poblano going into this event, but I’m now even more of a fan.

We may disagree on just what exactly makes Unilocal great, but for me it has always been information.
Some people may say that a new experience is better appreciated when it is not peppered with preconceived notions, that expectation can alter the pure perception. Such could be the case with China Pablano, if one were to read the multitude of Unilocal that decried the over-​use of salt in many of the restaurants offerings. That knowledge alone can hyper-​focus your attention to the salt levels of everything you eat, distracting you from some of the more subtle nuances of the dish.
For me, the time I took reading the Unilocal of China Pablano, in advance of Friday night’s event, made it possible to look past the salt issue and focus more on what the chef was trying to create. To be sure, there is an issue with the salt levels in the sour soup, where the amount of salt may have overwhelmed the true flavor of the soup. As for the remaining fair, the salt was not a real problem. (On a side note: recent science has drawn into question the negative health aspects of too much salt.)
There were indeed some real stand-​out dishes that made their way around: the shrimp, the Sui Mai and the carnitas tacos were possibly some of the best I have ever sampled.
Other items didn’t fair as well. Along with the soup, the Ceviche had some exceptional tuna, but the accompanying flavors and textures destroyed any opportunity to enjoy the tuna itself. As for the guacamole, it was so spicy it distracted from the light, fresh, crisp flavor enhancement that usually makes guacamole such a great accompaniment.
China Pablano gets some serious kudos on presentation. Everything, with the exception of the guacamole, came in a most unique and interesting vessels. Several items were offered in a Chinese spoon, which actually proved to be the perfect amount for a one bite sampling.
The restaurant’s design and décor was certainly interesting. In some cases, such as the stadium style seating at the entrance (presumably for waiting) and the German style long tables added a certain flare to the traditional. Other aspects, especially the large, featureless head situated above the bar, where a mix of projected Chinese and Mexican images and faces rotated throughout the night, was a little creepy. Somewhat remicent of the face of the Rorschach character from the Watchers movie, one can easily imagine it might scare the dickens out little children — it certainly gave me the willies.
José Andrés was most affable as he made his way through the crowd to stop and speak with just about everybody. A true down-​to-​earth celebrity that acted anything but celebrator-​ial — a true rarity in city like Las Vegas, where famous people usually love to attract attention.
The staff was great. But in all fairness to their exceptional service, there were several more servers than one would normally expect.
Bombay Sapphire did not fail to impress either, bringing some much need flare to a rather underappreciated spirit.
In conclusion, there was a pleasant mix of greatness and mediocrity. I suspect my normal rating for China Pablano would get 3 stars for this mixture, but this special event will score a 4 star today.

This was a perfect little gathering for gourmands.
I was kinda surprised to see Jose there. Call me a blond Asian but I thought it was Cocktails and bites AT Jose Andres not literally WITH him. If I processed that before going, I would have been that sap with a giant book in tow to get it signed.
A tasting of food it was not. What a bacchanalia it was! There was a dozen different bites to eat but the pork buns, pork chicharron tacos and the mango sticky rice (that was more like pudding and only had crispy rice in it) were the 3 favorite bites of mine. I thought all 3 cocktails were solid, but my go-​to drink is gin and tonic so I had several. The verbena, juniper and elderflower in it was a nice touch and they used a very fine tonic which makes/​breaks it for me.
The servers were almost insisting to give you a bite and a beverage. If you had a request they were there to meet it and much props to that. Attentive and friendly staff seem sometimes lacking in places.
Even though it started at 7pm, I got there early and Tony T. and I were allowed to go in and start off. In regular Unilocal fashion, we were always the last to leave.
I think that though attest to a good event if the hardcore food people are still around talking event highlights.

This was a strangely perfect event. Us Unilocalers are used to having some sort of fun and wacky activity to go along with our appetite to devour every food stuff that crosses our path. On that note, you would have been disappointed.
This evening was all about the food and beverage. And meeting Chef José Andrés. In terms of satiating our appetites, it’s probably on par with the Max Brenner Chocoholiday. If you were unable to try the dish you wanted (and then some), there’s something wrong with you. Server after server came out, and came back out, and then came back just to make sure you had your chance. In fact, some of us were full by 7:30 and started wondering, «So what else is there to do?»
The food ranged from pretty good to delicious. And it all came out with that high end flair that you would expect from Chef José Andrés. I especially enjoyed the shrimp shumai, carnitas tacos, lemongrass shrimp, and the mango sticky rice dessert at the tail end.
As for drinks, as soon as you walked in, you were greeted by a server ready to mix you a fancy kicked up gin and tonic. After that, I sipped on a couple of glasses of Cheung Po The Kid. These days, I can never resist a concoction that involves the words ginger and beer.

We came in thinking it was to be a sampling of some food while sipping on gin and going to the pizzeria at 9pm. This was not the case at all! Jose Andres and his staff went all out to make sure everyone in restaurant was as stuffed (and buzzed) as they wanted to be.
David S. and Tony T’s reviews really hit the nail on the head and I can’t do better than theirs. I’ve had a few opportunities to go to China Poblano in the past and avoided it based on pricing and less than mediocre reviews. BUT the carnitas taco (braised baby pig/​pork rinds/​spicy salsa verde cruda) was so damn good that I would be willing to pay $ 4.50 for each one of these. I had 3! What can I say? I’m a pig eating pig.
Gin and tonics should always be served with ice shaped as a sphere along with the other floral goodies they put into it. It was truly the perfect g&t.
There was such a great assortment of food from mole fries to tuna ceviche to sui mai to churros and much more. I’m sold on this place and ready to have a full on dinner here!

A break to pretend that I am cooler than I really am. Nerd month has been a refreshing string of events because there was no need to hide the true me. Today, I had to put back up the façade of cool and collected. That all shattered when the first drink came. No more than 2 minutes upon entry, the cocktail waitress were there to greet with the perfect gin and tonic. It lives up to it’s name. The elderberry infusion, juniper berry, and floral bits add a new dimension to this classic drink made with Bombay Sapphire Gin.
Another few feet and three appetizers came around. The hot and sour soup was good, but had a strong pepper taste. A few items were too salty for my taste, but there were a few that hit all the right notes. The lemongrass shrimp, carnitas taco with chicharron, the mock mango sticky rice, and churros were phenomenal. If that is the list of my favorite, you better believe that there was more for us to try. Like Tony T. said in his review, there were a total of 12 items. Tasting? I think not, it was a feast. Jose Andres was more than hospitable and we could not be more than enthusiastic.
The drinks were all amazing. Within 20 minutes I already had one drink under my belt and another in hand. The Miss Chang was unforgiving. Slow Gin, vermouth, bitters… The gin jelly candy in an edible wrapper was a nice touch. To pop one and follow with a sip of the drink was ambrosial. Another 10 minutes and the cocktail waitress came by with the ginger beer drink with a nice hint of lemongrass. Where was Misti Y. This had her name all over it. After going through the signature drinks for the night, the gin and tonic was the perfect way to end it.
It was not too shabby to have a wonderful group of fabulous Unilocalers around as well. I might not have meet any new faces this round, but the old friends made it a night to remember.
The staff also needs to be commended because they were so upbeat and quick to cater. Another drink, a bottle of premium water, or a bite to sober you up was always within reach. I apologize for stalking the staff to get what I wanted and Chef Andrés to meet him. I failed with Chef, but I more than succeeded with the food.

I am really glad I made it on to this event’s guest list, as the restaurant, the food and drinks were all good to fantastic! The servers were amazing and friendly, and did not hesitate to try to go out of their way to make your evening the best as it can be.
As far as the food, it was a selection of 12 items from their menu of 58 items (+/​-​2) presented in appetizer bite-​size portion. For me the tacos were fantastic, and enough of a reason to come back and dine at this fun, unique spot. The various dumplings were tasty, especially the shumai. For the desserts, the modern take on the traditional Thai Mango Sticky Rice made my mouth happy. The Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce was a crowd favorite.
The featured drinks were quite fancy and a delight visually.
Chef José Andrés was a master at mingling with the crowd and speaking to as many of the guests as possible.
Executive Chef Shirley Chung was busy most of the evening making sure the food and service was perfect, and was a joy to speak to at the end of the evening.
And in usual Unilocal fashion, the Unilocal Elites helped shut down the venue for the evening :)
A big thank you to the cooks working in the kitchen and in the front, as well as the waiters/​waitresses that took care of us in the front. Great event and I definitely look forward to coming by and trying the Dan Dan Mein (noodle) and the Lamb Dumpling that Chef Chung recommended on the «China» side of the menu.
Misti thank you for hooking us up, and we all wish you were there to enjoy this is person.