Before tortillas found comfort in embracing cheese and meat, they sought consolation by hugging warm water bottles and the faces of humans. Keep tortillas on your plate with today’s Groupon to Viva Mexican Grill and Tequileria. Choose between the following options:
- For $17, you get $35 worth of Mexican fare for two.
- For $30, you get $70 worth of Mexican fare for four or more.<p>
Viva Mexican Grill and Tequileria’s chef, Carlos Mendoza, packs a menu of Mexican fare with vegetarian-friendly zest. Hand-made masa pancakes, grilled and topped with queso fresco and a choice of meats ($6.95–$8.95), handily bested maple-syrup-flavored tortilla chips to be the breakfast-inspired starter. Main courses range from poblano chiles adorned with walnut cream sauce and succulent pomegranate seeds, paired with a choice of queso, mixed vegetables, or meat ($15.95–$19.95), to skirt steak grilled to order in salsa ranchera ($17.95). Jumbo shrimp frolic in chipotle sauce and white wine ($18.95), and vegetarian rice and beans accompany all entrees. The bar, whose libations are not covered by this deal, pours 13 variations on the margarita, ranging from an old-fashioned recipe to a minimalist interpretation composed of an empty salt-rimmed glass.
Viva Mexican Grill and Tequileria
Owner and head chef of Viva Mexican Grill and Tequileria, Carlos Mendez grew up in Mexico watching his mother and aunts as they concocted labor-intensive food without batting an eye. He would even venture off to the countryside to collect any wild mushrooms they might need. Now at his restaurant, he keeps his culinary traditions alive with his menu of Central Mexican cuisine. Fresh guacamole made table-side prepare palates for forthcoming entrees. Handmade masa pancakes topped with queso fresco join slow-cooked pork carnitas and tricolor plates of chilis en nogada with creamy walnut sauce. Thirteen types of margaritas and chilled coladas and daiquiris cool tongues coated in hot spices.
The festive decor of earthy deep blues, red clay tiles and adobe-colored walls also pays tribute to his homeland, as does a mariachi band. These musicians rove between tables, serenading diners with romantic string and vocal harmonies and the occasional rap battle.