Are you in the mood for a new twist on classic Mexican cuisine? Vida Kitchen y Cantina is the perfect place to go. This brand new restaurant, located conveniently at the Galleria, is full of fun and packed with amazing meals.
El Servicio
The Service
Upon first walking into Vida, I was disappointed to find that the unimpressive hostess was far more interested in her phone conversation than in leading me to my table. However, the tide quickly turned after I was seated and met my waitress. A young woman with a bubbly personality, she proved to be truly knowledgeable and comfortable with the menu. She was super efficient, helpful and funny – the trifecta for a waitress. El servicio es maravilloso! (The service is marvelous.)
La Atmosfera
The Atmosphere
The atmosphere at Vida is what I like to call muy bonita (very beautiful). The warm lighting and comfortable seating makes for an intimate, cozy setting. The fun, lively music veers just a tad on the loud side, but I give a thumbs up to the song selections. The restaurant was fairly crowded, and continued to attract more and more people as the evening wore on. Dividers between the booths add a sense of privacy, which is much appreciated. Vida is a very clean, neat restaurant, making the dining experience all the more enjoyable.
El Menu
The Menu
Now it’s time to talk about what really matters: the food. Vida boasts an expansive menu, with options ranging from Traditional Nachos to Tortilla Pie, and pretty much everything in between. The complimentary chips and salsa were delicious, my only complaint being that the salsa was almost too caliente (hot). Plenty of chips were provided (and were devoured quite quickly at my table). The menu offers varied options, including “Combo Plates” in which one can receive four mini versions of a selection of entrees. For those keeping an eye on nutritional content, Vida offers healthy choices, including many salads and different types of fish entrees. The guacamole appetizer was especially delicious. It was extraordinarily pleasing to the eye as well as to the mouth, and the deep red diced tomatoes contrasted beautifully with the pretty, bright green avocado.
The beef tacos tended to be very spicy, whereas the chicken tacos were not. Vida only provides soft tortillas, with your choice of flour or corn, but does not offer any hard taco shells. The side dishes were surprisingly underwhelming; the rice, beans, and corn were bland and unimpressive. Luckily for Vida, the actual entree made up for what was lost in the sides. The vast range of tastes in the food, from spicy to tangy to creamy and more, is sure to satisfy anyone who tries it.
And perhaps most importantly (well, at least in my case), the food had an overall very pleasing, attractive presentation. The nice arrangement of different combinations on each and every plate boosted my opinion of the restaurant and contributed to my overall experience.
Vida proved to be an extremely yummy restaurant, with only a few minor aspects that fell short of my expectations. Vida Kitchen y Cantina offers a new twist on Mexican Cuisine for the St. Louis area, and I strongly encourage anyone with an open mind to go and try it. #
