Viva Margarita

Pretty much everyone has been to Viva Taqueria and Cantina, the Mexican restaurant near the edge of the Commons. After fifteen years, it’s the kind of place you probably take for granted: been there, done that. But since Viva remains one of the most popular restaurants in Ithaca for natives and visitors alike, we at the Post thought this local favorite merits a closer look.

I’VE OFTEN HEARD IT SAID that Viva Taqueria does not serve “authentic” Mexican food. This might be fair to say about Taco Bell, but I find this determination about Viva to be largely untrue. Mexico is a big place; the diet and spices vary from region to region. And based on my own sub-United States travels, the food at Viva is quite similar to what I ate in off-the-beaten-path villages scattered through the mountainous region of the state of Puebla, where the diet is chock full of beans, rice, spiced meats, fresh guacamole and lime. And Viva’s décor is certainly authentic, with shiny, brightly-colored masks, clay animals, Day of the Dead skeletons, Madonnas and other curios gracing the walls. (Take that, nay-sayers.)

On a recent weekday evening, I visited Viva with my partner, Leah. As we’re known to do in many restaurants, we sat at the bar for our meal. When we eat at Viva with friends, we always get at least one basket of chips with the three delicious salsas: salsa fresca, chipotle tomatillo and our favorite, roasted garlic, guaranteed to make your breath ward off vampires for forty-eight hours. Both the chips and salsas are made fresh daily, and are an excellent snack when accompanied by a margarita or a Corona with lime. Viva’s entrée portions are large, so we skipped all appetizer-like items this evening (the Nacho orders are huge) and dove right into the heart of the menu.

Since my recent onset of weird food allergies, more than anything, I appreciate that Viva has what I call a WYSIWYG menu: what you see is what you get. No preservatives, no hidden dairy, no lard. Even their guacamole is vegan. The beans are made every day from, yep, dried beans. As one of the servers said to me while I asked questions about the menu, “Forget the authenticity argument. Our food is fresh and healthy, and not many restaurants can claim that.”

Leah ordered the tofu spring roll quesadilla, a toasted flour tortilla packed with melted cheese, slaw, lettuce and marinated tofu. The house-made lime vinaigrette or buttermilk dressing comes on the side, so you can choose whether to lightly dress or to drown your food, depending on your tastes. One of the least Mexican and least spicy items on the menu, the spring roll quesadilla is a balanced way to get your green and orange veggies, which Leah crunched in conjunction with the rich cheese and the tangy lime dressing. A thick, garlickly guacamole came on the side. A more civilized person might eat the quesadilla with a fork and knife, but Leah ate it with her hands; the lime vinaigrette sensuously dribbled down her sleeves.

I chose a tostada with chorizo. Laying on a bed of shredded lettuce, the crispy corn tortilla was decadently covered with ground spiced sausage, refried beans, salsa fresca, and rice. I skipped the cheese and sour cream that usually top the tostadas, and I didn’t miss them as I cleaned my plate of this delicious, almost mole-flavored chorizo dish.

Of course, we drank margaritas with our meal, a must-have at Viva. One of Viva’s little secrets is that they squeeze three or four gallons of lime juice every morning to be used in the day’s margaritas. As far as I know, they are the only place in town that takes on the labor-intensive task of squeezing fresh limes to make the sour mix, ranking them the hands-down best spot for margaritas. Diners and drinkers can choose from twelve traditional margaritas on their menu, not including the frozen raspberry and mango drinks. The popular house margarita is made with Sauza Hornitos, Cointreau and their fresh-squeezed sour. Viva also carries both Mexican and local beer, plus more than fifty tequilas. They detail eight tequila flights on their drink menu.

Though we were stuffed after finishing our entrees, I inquired about desserts. Desserts are not on Viva’s menu, but they do have three available, all currently made in-house. “The Tres Leches is the best,” suggested a bar customer. “It’s amazing.” The bartender explained that Tres Leches is a rich white cake made with three milks: sweetened condensed, evaporated, and plain milk. Vanilla frosting graces the top. They also serve traditional flan and a vegan chocolate mousse.

Always a sucker for chocolate, I ordered the mousse. Though its base is silken tofu, both vegans and non-vegans will be pleased with its texture and fillingness, thick with cocoa and mouth-zapping chiles. The small portion was more than enough for two people to share after such a satisfying meal. The dessert-lover next to me gave me another tip. “Get whipped cream on it. It makes it even better,” he said.

Besides the fresh food at Viva, the service is quick and the staff is attentive. Our meals always arrive within a couple of minutes or ordering. Many of the waitstaff have been there for years, like bar manager Jil Lippencott, who joined the team thirteen years ago. A trip to Viva feels like a visit to good friends. The menu is both consistent and consistently good, with items including burritos, tacos, salads, quesadillas, fajitas and more. Specials are rarely offered, and if there have been any changes to the menu over the years, they’ve been so subtle I haven’t noticed.

Compare Viva to any other full-service restaurant in Ithaca, and the prices can’t be beat. Every entrée is under $10 except for the fajitas. A side of half beans/half rice only costs $1, and like a big bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, you could make a meal out of it if you wanted to. The margaritas range from $4 to $7.50. Food is even less expensive on the Taqueria, or take-out, side, where a fat basic burrito is only $2.50, and you can buy a margarita at the bar and bring it over to enjoy at the take-out tables.

Now pardon me while I enjoy another margarita.

Viva Taqueria and Cantina, located at the corner of State and Aurora Streets, is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Happy Hour is 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, when house margaritas only cost $4. If you love big crowds, check out Happy Hour on Friday. Viva does not accept reservations, and you can expect a wait for dinner on the weekends. www.vivataqueria.com

Tagged as: Amelia Sauter, bar food, comfort food, food review, happy hour, Mexican food, Viva Cantina, Viva Taqueria