Viva Villa

Viva Villa is a small neighborhood combination restaurant, carneceria, and groceria. It's a place your order, pick it up when your number is called (in Spanish) type of operation. There are a handful of tables inside the always steamy hot building, or there are picnic tables provided outside under the shade of some very old eucalyptus trees. The wait for 2 orders is seldom longer than 5 minutes, with 3 to 4 minutes being the norm.

They offer a full menu of the kinds of items people from Mexico expect to find. This means, to name a few, carne asdada, carnitas, lengua, and birria.

One of my favorite items are the lengua (beef tongue) tacos. These are a smallish "street taco" size and consist of a very flavorful diced and simmered beef tongue filling inside a double stacked soft corn tortilla. Fresh pico de gallo salsa is ladled on, and the tacos are served with an echelon of fresh lime quarters for squeezing atop each one.

The carne asada is as good as that dish gets. It consists of tender strips of beef and slices of onion and chile pepper which are then flat grilled to perfection. It can be ordered in tacos, burritos, or as a plated order accompanied by rice, beans, and your choice of tortillas. I've had the burrito and wasn't able to finish it in one sitting. It's a huge conglomeration of the asada along with rice and beans and a liberal helping of pico de gallo.

The carnitas are some of the best I've ever had. Tender, moist and flavorful, buttery soft on the inside, slightly crisp on the outside. This also is available as a plate, taco or burrito.

Quesadillas are on the menu, and according to my niece they're excellent.

The rice and beans, while tasty, are not remarkable or special.

The beverage offerings consist of the usual fountain soft drinks along with fresh horchata and tamarindo. Beer and Mexican bottled soft drinks are available from the cooler.

For dessert, don't miss the Mexican sweetbreads and cookies displayed in a cabinet at the east wall of the store.

I'll add to this report as I eat my way through the menu.

Viva Villa
15092 Slover Ave
Fontana 92337
(909)356-9669