Restaurant: Viva! Argentine cuisine

Critic: Lexi Medina 

Vives at Viva! for Dinner This Week 

Tucked between a coffee shop and an oyster bar is where you’ll find Viva! Argentine Cuisine. There’s no neon letters or bright, flashing lights to lure you in – just a simple sign mirroring the Argentina flag. I noticed the restaurant one day as I sipped my coffee from a table next door and had heard from a friend that the empanadas at Viva were a treat for your tastebuds. So, I grabbed some buds of my own and we headed to the Bottleworks shopping area in Athens for dinner. 

We arrived for a later dinner on a Tuesday and to my surprise, the entire restaurant was empty. It was like it had been saved just for us. A smiling hostess greeted and seated us, and I took a glance down at the cardstock menu. Prices ranged from $4.00 empanadas (which was a fantastic price for what I got) all the way up to a $26.00 ribeye – something I didn’t expect to see on the menu of a relatively casual restaurant. Our server was kind and patient as we all took our sweet time scanning through the list of savory Argentinian pastries. We were seated right next to the hot food window and thankfully so. For the entirety of the meal, the delicious smells of Latin cooking wafted past our noses, making my mouth water imagining about what they were making on the other side. 

I ordered a variety consisting of the black bean, sausage and cheese steak empanadas. Each one was accompanied by a different sauce: some creamy, some tangy and some with a kick. The empanadas sizzled and popped on the plates as the waitress sat them down in front of us. We dug into a satisfyingly crisp crust as steam poured out and I got a first glance at the fillings. The black beans tied with yellow rice, dipped into cilantro lime sour cream was near heavenly and each bite followed suit. The sausage was juicy and the cheese, steak and jalapeno combination had just the right amount of spice that was topped off perfectly with the chimichurri ranch. I kept going back for another bite and another bite and got lost in the comfort food feelings of homemade meals and good conversations. 

Viva! Is located on the fringe of Normaltown in Athens, Georgia, which is known for its indie eats, bars and shopping scene, and this restaurant was no exception. Alternative music played softly from the speakers and the furniture and decor reflected that more of an eclectic 1950’s diner than a traditional family style restaurant. Carpool if you can because parking is charged and somewhat limited. Annoying I know, but it could be a good opportunity for a stroll through Normaltown.

We went after it had become dark, but big, garage door style windows opened the front and others would let in so much more light, probably adding to the atmosphere. I’d love to come back to see it then and I most definitely will be back. The cupcakes for dessert were the raspberry on top (which the lemon raspberry cupcake most certainly did have). The food was delicious, authentic and the perfect price for an easy going meal to enjoy with friends.