Barbara’s Bits and Bites: La Vida Cantina corrects course

There have been times when I write this restaurant column, which discovers and rediscovers fun places to eat, that I’ve had less than stellar dining experiences

Back in May, my little rescue dog Stasha and I had lunch at La Vida Cantina at The Triangle in Costa Mesa, and it wasn’t great.

The hostess initially wouldn’t let Stasha dine on the patio in her pet stroller until a manager intervened. My tacos weren’t great and service was sketchy, so I didn’t recommend the place.

Jane Gillespie, who handles public relations for the restaurant, contacted me afterward.

“The management and owners saw your column and were dismayed that you had a less-than-great experience at the restaurant,” she wrote. “They would like to invite you back in as their guest.”

Stasha and I accepted the invitation, and July 31 Stasha and I returned to lunch there with Gillespie, one of the owners, Rob Arellano, and General Manager Juan Rangel.

It was a very different dining experience this time.

Arellano, who also is co-owner in The Triangle’s Sutra nightclub, said at the time of my first visit they were newly opened and didn’t have a clear doggy dining policy.

Now they do.

Dogs are warmly welcomed as guests arrive. Our waiter even offered Stasha a water this time around.

Guests with furry friends are seated throughout the patio unless the restaurant is very busy, then a section is designated for animals and their owners.

Arellano tells me they are even toying with the idea of starting a “Yappy Hour” one night.

He says since my last visit they have a new chef and have invested in better training of serving staff. Another big help: bringing on Rangel, who has extensive restaurant experience.

During my visit, the guys talked about their commitment to giving diners a great Mexican food experience.

Arellano agreed opening a Mexican restaurant in the same space where the ill-fated El Corazon had opened and closed in less than a year was risky.

He felt he could be successful where El Corazon was not, and though La Vida Cantina faltered a bit in the beginning, it has corrected course.

I felt Arellano and Rangel were sincere in their passion to make La Vida Cantina a success. And it seems to be working.

I sampled items from their popular bar menu like Las Chiquitas (Sliders), $12, made with lean beef mixed with chopped onions, poblano peppers, red bell peppers, mushrooms and jalapeño, topped with pepper jack cheese, chipotle coleslaw and avocado in a chipotle ketchup dressed bun, served with shoe string fries. They were delicious.

The El Mexi-Dog, $11.50, jalapeño bacon wrapped spicy cheddar hot dog in a chipotle ketchup dressed bun, topped with a chipotle coleslaw and shoestring fries, was also very tasty.

And the Carne Asada Fries, $13, shoestring fries topped with grilled Angus steak, Rico’s queso, jack cheese, salsa fresca, guacamole, Mexican cream and cotija cheese — also very good.

Arellano, who lives in Costa Mesa, says their Saturday and Sunday brunches are so popular they are now planning to offer a Friday brunch as well.

La Vida Cantina has two happy hours — 4 to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Fridays and 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays to Saturdays.

They serve food until closing but the menu pairs down a bit late at night.

After lunch, my opinion of the restaurant drastically changed.

But was the food and service better because I was sitting with the owner and general manager?

I wondered. So when a friend called to meet for dinner a few days later, I suggested we try La Vida Cantina.

We arrived unannounced and were treated wonderfully.

It was a Monday night, and kids under 12 eat free, so the place was crowded and family friendly.

This trip I decided to order the same dish I had on my first visit, Tacos Suaves, $13.25, two corn tortillas filled with grilled chicken, guacamole, shredded cabbage, cotija cheese and a drizzle of chipotle cream.

I asked if they could make one taco with steak, as I had on my initial visit that the waiter couldn’t get straight.

This time our waiter was more than agreeable. The order arrived perfectly and was yummy.

Since then, Stasha and I have been back several times. The food and service remains consistently good. It’s now one of our favorite spots for Mexican food.

I’m glad Gillespie and Arellano reached out to me after the first column. It’s always great to see entrepreneurs taking pride in what they do, and who are willing to assess a problem and correct it.

BARBARA VENEZIA lives in Newport Beach. She can be reached at [email protected].