La Viva Cantina in Cypress: Mexican Food and Margaritas with a Purpose
The My Neighborhood News Cypress Culinary Chronicles series is brought to you by Nick Rama of Nick's Local Eats and spotlights locally owned and operated restaurants in Cypress. Nick's Local Eats is a public Facebook group that brings local restauranteurs and foodies together to share information about their restaurants and offerings, providing a platform to collaborate and support one another.
The Story
La Viva Cantina in Cypress, TX, owned by Chris Smith and his partner Guy Barrios, have been giving back to the community since they opened in Sept 2021. Chris and Guy have been helping support underprivileged schools and a dog rescue.
The Name
The name came from a friend of Chris that gave him the idea and what La Viva stood for - “the life and making the most out of every moment.”
Barrios picked the Cypress location in front of the outlet mall because he lives in the area, plus Chris has worked in restaurants all of his life, at the young age of 15 he started working in a bakery.
La Viva Cantina has an interesting concept for their daily operations, the managers are the Chefs and help create and develop the menu. Chris explained “It is so much fun to watch them come up with an idea and work through it.”
Community
Giving back one margarita at time, La Viva Cantina’s Big Love Rescue Margarita. Portions of sales benefit Big Love Rescue! "Sharing the love, we start with smooth Corazón Silver Tequila and add our homemade sweet and sour mix," Chris described. “It is a great margarita that helps a great cause.” Starting from the day they opened, the sales from the Big Love Margarita has raised thousands of dollars for this great cause.
Big Love Margarita (Photo by La Viva Cantina)In honor of this article and My Neighborhood News, Chris and Guy will be offering the Double Down and Triple Down promotion for April, doubling the donation of each Big Love Margarita sold. The Triple Down promotion is a combo of Nick's Classic Cheese Enchiladas (2 cheese enchiladas, with Texas chili sauce topped with chopped fajita beef) and a Big Love Margarita, La Viva Cantina will triple the donation to Big Love Rescue.
Nick's Classic Cheese Enchiladas (Photo by Nick Rama)
Owner Recommendations
We asked Chris, "If you had to pick your perfect meal from start to finish at La Viva Cantina, what would it be (App, Cocktail, Entrée, dessert)?" Here are his top picks.
Appetizer: Queso
Cocktail: Big Love Rescue Rita
Entrée: Cancun - beef and chicken fajitas and brochette shrimp
Dessert: Tres Leches- white sponge cake made with 3 types of milk
What the Locals are Eating
We like to ask the locals what they are eating, and what are your top selling menu items for each category of the menu. Here's what Chris had to share.
Appetizer: Queso
Our famous white queso served with pico de gallo garnish
Seafood Appetizer: Campechana
Shrimp & crab cocktail with avocado chunks. Served in a traditional campechana sauce
Quesadillas: Chicken
Handmade tortillas filled with layers of cheese and grilled to golden perfection. Served with pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream
Tacos: Seasoned Pork
House specialty pork served with queso fresco, cilantro and red onions
Soups/Salads: Taco Salad
Bed of mixed greens, onions, avocado, tomato, grilled chicken, tortilla strips, queso fresco and served with avocado ranch dressing
Fajitas: Combo Beef and Chicken
Butchered in-house, Texas raised outside skirt steak
From The Grill: Grilled Snapper
Fresh fish of the day, grilled and served with a side of brussels sprouts and cilantro rice
Enchiladas: Dana's Famous Chicken Enchiladas
Your choice of: sour cream sauce, avocado crema or roasted new Mexico green sauce
Tex-Mex Combos: El Ray
A single seafood enchilada, shrimp taco, and 3 brochette shrimp. Served with rice and beans
Lunch: Lunch Carbon
Beef taco al carbon topped with queso. Served with rice & beans
Brunch: Tres Leches French Toast
Three pieces of "Texas sized" French toast dipped in our homemade tres leches milk, dusted with powdered sugar. Served with syrup and whipped butter, and your choice of bacon or sausage
Bar: Big Love or the Anejo Smash Margarita
5 Words to Describe La Viva Cantina: "See it to believe it"
La Viva Cantina is located at 29040 Northwest Freeway in Cypress. They are open Sunday from 10AM to 9PM, Monday to Thursday from 11AM to 9PM, Friday from 11AM to 10PM, and Saturday from 10AM to 10PM. La Viva Cantina also serves brunch on the weekends! To learn more about La Viva Cantina in Cypress, visit their website at lavivacantina.com or follow on Facebook at lavivacantina.
By Nick Rama, Nick's Local Eats 
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Nick Rama, the founder of Nick's Local Eats, is a passionate foodie who advocates for family-owned restaurants. His dedication and love for food have not only helped him build a popular online platform but have also allowed him to make significant contributions to the local dining scene. |
