La Vida Cantina Awards

La Vida Cantina Restaurant Review:

Located on the second floor of Costa Mesa’s Triangle Square, this Mexican restaurant creates an appropriately relaxing tropical vibe with a spacious outdoor patio complete with thatched roofs and cozy fire pits. It makes for an ideal setting to indulge in one of the strong specialty margaritas, martinis or refreshing cocktails. While some people come here to get their drink on, others come to check out executive chef Marco Martinez’s take on classic Mexican cuisine. We recommend starting with an order of the ham and jalapeño queso or the ceviche stuffed with plump shrimp and mango. From there, you can order up plates like chile verde enchiladas and carnitas tacos, or you can explore more advanced dishes such as chicken topped with chocolate-based mole sauce and sesame seeds, or slow-roasted pork marinated in herbs and orange juice. Desserts like house-made churros and flan are available at meal’s end. The patio opens early on the weekends, when you can enjoy a brunch menu marked by selections like huevos rancheros and bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys.