Holy Hot Sauce, Batman!

Just around the corner from my work... How many times have I said this now? Yes, really, my office is just around the corner from some amazing restaurants, I swear. Being only a block and a half off of one of the more famous pedestrian malls does have it’s advantages. Or, disadvantages, as I start looking at how much I’ve spent on food since I started working downtown!

Nonetheless, just around the corner from my work is a GREAT Mexican cantina, called Viva Taqueria. Normally, I wouldn’t be so blasé about labeling a restaurant as Mexican. As my husband loves to tell me, most “Mexican” food in this corner of the U.S. is more accurately described as “Tex-Mex.” If you want the real deal, and great food to boot, either go to Mexico, or visit San Francisco’s Mission district and go to “Gracias Madre.” But, that’s another blog post in the future, during guest city month.

So, one of the other girls and I walked down to get takeout. Their menu is small, but has enough so that everybody has something to choose from. Combinations are endless, though, and vegetarians and vegans can easily dine here, with just a word or two to the server - and on most orders, you wouldn’t even need to do that.

I ordered their Super Beef Nachos, and was pleasantly surprised to find that I could also order extra sour cream and guacamole is two ounce and four ounce quantities. As I am a condiment whore, I was excited that, for once, I would be able to enjoy my whole plate of nachos without being bummed out that I’d already finished the yummy sides. Their menu lists these nachos as “chips, refried beans, cheese, jalapeños and salsa fresca, with beef, sour cream and guacamole.”

And before I get any further, let me discuss their hot sauce. There have three flavors: green, red, and orange. Yes, I typed that correctly. They list it as colors, but really means that green is their mild, red is their medium, and orange is their hot. The girl I walked down to Viva with literally filled up about half of a medium soda to-go cup with the orange. But, I can’t really fault her for liking the hot stuff - she’s from Texas. I got a small container of all three so that I could try them all.
Once we were back in our comfortable office, I commenced demolishing the entire plate of nachos. Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you. The beef was flavorful and the cheese insanely yummy. Oh, and honestly, I could eat their guacamole straight, just with a fork out of it’s container. It was that good.

As for the hot sauces, I found the green to be a little bit sweet and the red was only just a little tingly on my tongue. The orange was just this side of habanero-spicy, but induced a very nice sinus clearing heat. Just the kind I like.
I have been back numerous times, both as take out, and once to actually sit in and enjoy the atmosphere. I would highly recommend Viva to anyone who needs a quick fix of hot sauce, or just some really great refried beans.

First Day of Work Equals Celebratory Sushi! Doesn't It?

After my first day of work, I was beat. Not only had I gotten downtown forty minutes before I was scheduled to start work - mostly due to me not being able to read a bus schedule - but I had also put in a nine hour day after two and a half weeks of sitting around on my butt, “vacationing.” All of the new terms and things I had to wrap my head around left my brain mushy and I was not up to cooking my standard gourmet meal. 

So, I convinced the husband that sushi was a perfect idea, and there was a place right around the corner! Kyushu is nestled into a strip mall, between an Applebee’s and an out-of-business Blockbuster. 

A few other couples were there - not too many people. It’s a definite hole-in-the-wall place.
We half watched the hibachi demonstration - it’s the same everywhere. Once you see it once, it loses a whole lot of something. One little kid was scared by the giant fireball they do in the beginning. I think she may have gotten a little singed because she was awful close the the work surface. If you’re into hibachi, or know someone who has never seen it, it’s a treat to watch your friend rather than the chef.


I ended up ordering three rolls because it wasn’t all that expensive. They came to me on a very prettily arranged plate. I eyed the small ball of wasabi. I was not impressed with it’s size. I’m a big fan of spicy food that cleans out the inside of your sinuses, so I LOVE wasabi. The amount they game me ended up being juuuust enough to please me. 

The first roll I tackled was your standard Avocado roll. I really should know better by now than to order these. I’m much more a fan of sushi rolls with rice on the outside, not nori. I have to admit they were pretty bland, but that’s pretty much what you get across the board, I suppose. 

The second roll was an Ithaca Roll, which I will never again order from this place. The main ingredient was octopus and it was very much on the chewy side. I know octopus hard to make, but if it’s going to be your “signature” dish, work on the prep a little more. 

The last roll I had was a Philadelphia Roll, which they actually managed to pull off pretty well. Normally you drown in cream cheese in those things, but this one was light and the smoked salmon was light and very flavorful.

All in all, I’ll probably not be going back as I’ve heard there’s a much better sushi place that delivers. The only thing stopping me from ordering there tonight is that Husband is on a home-cooked meal kick. I’ll have to suffer through until he’s done with it. Can’t wait to review the other establishment, though!