THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Vida! Bistro & Wine Bar

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Vida! Bistro & Wine Bar Restaurant Review:

This tasting menu-focused eatery is a quiet and happy little surprise. First-time chef-restaurateur Joe Castro and wife Maria channeled their love of home entertaining into this charming bistro where guests can choose from prix-fixe menus of three, five or seven courses. As the menus change daily, it's hard to predict what new dishes chef Castro has cooked up during the day at his job running a bank. But you can count on stellar ingredients: lamb, grouper, duck breast and scallops that challenge each other for succulence; vintage port sauces that are reduced slowly all day; homemade relishes and chutneys, featuring the finest seasonal fruits. And while most plates are creative---a bourbon-marinated pork chop is accompanied by a savory open tamale and mojo-style onions that are softened by apple juice---nothing is outlandish. Portions are also just the right size for a menu that modulates rather than overwhelms, meaning that the bananas Foster crème brûlée strikes just the right final chord.