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Review content:
La Vista has a cult following as one of the most wine friendly restaurants in town. Offering BYOB with modest corkage fee, it's a great place to gather with friends and enjoy your favorite wines. On sunny days and weekends, the crowds come here in droves, forcing waiting patrons into the parking lot, where the restaurant sets up a seating area complete with plastic chairs and tables. Heck, most people break out their bottles in the parking lot, causing the general merriment to spike upward quickly. That's probably the best thing about La Vista - every time I've been there, everyone is happy and friendly. On one occasion, the table sitting next to us offered us what was left over of their pizza, and in exchange, we poured them a taste of one of our wines. Sometimes you almost feel like you're at a big dinner party the way people mingle in the restaurant!!
Now to the food. The bread here is to-die-for, so all you Atkins dieters, beware. When you sit down, you will be served with large slab of dense, slightly sweet, oh-so-tasty bread with sprinkling of parmesan and olive oil dip. It will be hard to pass up. Every time I go, I swear I down a whole loaf by the time the night's over. The mussels are a slam-dunk, with some of the BEST garlic butter broth I've tasted. I could dip my bread in that sauce until I'm full but I know the main dishes are great as well. Tonite, I had the beef tenderloin, executed to a perfect medium rare, so tender it melted in my mouth, and accompanied by lightly crisped chunky potatoes and a light apricot sauce. The meat dishes here are generally the star - whether it be the veal chop, pork chop, steak, or an off the menu short rib - you can't go wrong with meat for the main course. They have a good selection of pasta and pizzas as well. But what good is BYOB red wine if it's not washed down with a tasty bite of red meat? So, I say skip the pasta, skip the pizza, order some meat, enjoy it with whatever vino is your pleasure, and wash it all down with great friendship and conversation. La Vista is the bomb!
Pros: BYOB
Cons: long wait times/no reservations accepted
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