Viva Hollywood Raises the Bar for Mexican Food in Hollywood

I frequent Hollywood for events at the Dolby or the Pantages. Because of that, I am always on the look-out for restaurants that I can visit before going to an event nearby. Recently, I learned about Viva Hollywood.

Entering the restaurant, I was blown away with the interior. It was like walking into a palace-like hotel from the past where they have two story ceilings in the hotel lobby. A beautiful bar with a long counter lined the wall. Diners can enjoy the beautiful rustic chandelier mounted to the high ceiling. 

Cabra Fundido – baked goat chese, tomato, cilantro, toasted pepitas, toasted flatbread

Chef Raymond Alvarez (Pink Tacos, Toca Madera) leverages his experience by producing modern Mexican cuisine using fresh, seasonally conscious ingredients creating dishes with bold flavors. An example of this is their baked goat cheese appetizer. Listed on the menu as “Baked goat cheese with tortilla triangles”, I ordered this due to my curiosity. I was happy to see that they served the piping hot goat cheese with toasted flatbread instead. The change was both more innovative and practical as I could easily scoop the goat cheese without it breaking a chip in half.

Ceviche Blanco Toastadas

The Ceviche Tostadas are served on 2” round tortilla chips. A layer of chunky guacamole is applied to the chip and it is topped with fresh sea bass, microgreens, chopped tomatoes and slivered red onion. Not only is this Instagram photo worthy, it was also delicious! The innovative offering goes well with a craft cocktail or a sangria.

Ajo Shrimp with hot garlic butter sauce topped with microgreens

One of the specials of the house is their Ajo Shrimp. Huge, almost prawn-sized, pieces of shrimp were served in a hot garlic and butter sauce. I really enjoyed the attractive presentation topped with microgreens. What elevated the taste of this dish was the use of fresh Mexican oregano infused with the garlic and butter sauce.

Perfectly Grilled Skirt Steak topped with slivered red onions and cilantro

The Skirt Steak was tender and flavorful due to the chipotle rub, fresh cilantro and chopped tomatoes. It was served with a side of smoked chimichurri sauce and housemade flour tortillas. This was my favorite item of the evening.

In addition to what I tried, they also have an on-site taqueria. Diners can select from the Pollo Manchaca, Shrimp Ajo, Carne Asada, Pescado, Carne Molida and Tofu with Black Bean tacos. Salads include the Ensalada Verde with bibb lettuce, frisée, edamame, avocado, poached asparagus and lemon vinaigrette.

Viva Margarita with Corralejo Silver, lime, cucumber, mint and agave

Executive Beverage Director Erik Weatherford created an impressive line-up of craft cocktails. Since I was in a Mexican restaurant, a margarita was calling my name. The Viva Margarita was made with premium Corralejo Silver tequila, cucumber, lime, mint and agave. There is a noticeable cucumber taste and no salt on the rim. To me, this is an example of a modern margarita served in a classy way.

The Afterglow: Botanist Gin is infused with Earl Grey. Lavender, rosemary, lime is added to make this a smooth gin cocktail with a lot of subtle notes.

While I enjoyed the Viva Margarita, I really enjoyed the Afterglow even more. Botanist Gin is infused with Earl Grey. Lavender, rosemary and lime is added to make this a smooth gin cocktail with a lot of subtle notes. I later discovered that The Botanist Gin is comprised of 22 hand-foraged local botanicals. Weatherford obviously had fun naming the drinks with names like Pillow Talk, Sleepless Nights and Walk with Stars. He is best known for utilizing quality seasonal ingredients. An example of this is the El Niño which is made with El Silencio Mezcal, fresh blackberries, mint, lime and honey.

Because I arrived shortly after they opened that day, I missed out on the live entertainment that takes place later in the evening. Viva Hollywood features live cabaret and flamenco performances as well as live music.

Viva Hollywood is ideally located near the Pantages Theatre and many other popular attractions nearby. If you are concerned about driving to Viva Hollywood, there is a metro red line stop 2 blocks away.

Viva Hollywood is a great dining destination before a night in Hollywood.

Viva Hollywood,  6350 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
http://www.viva-hollywood.com/