Phantom Gourmet: Vida Cantina In Portsmouth, NH

PORTSMOUTH, NH - If you look too quickly at Vida Cantina, you might think you were at Friendly's. It is, after all, in an old Friendly's building. While the service may come with a smile, it certainly is no chain ice cream shop. Mexican cooking is something chef/owner David Vargas was born to do.

"I'm raised in Southern California. My mother's from Guadalajara. My father's from Jalisco. My parents opened a restaurant when I was young, a little Mexican restaurant and it's kind of been in my blood."

So he's taken all of the traditional recipes he learned along the way and brought them to a bright, festive eatery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Whether you're in a party of four or 40, seating is never an issue. While the inside of the restaurant looks nothing like the Friendly's it once was, it's retained one practical feature- the signature Friendly's space dividers.

"If you come in as a bigger party than four, we're able to pull the dividers out and seat you all. So that's one of the biggest features that Friendly's has left their mark here, and we embrace it."

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Back in the kitchen, David makes memorable Mexican dishes like the light and refreshing Tuna Ceviche; the heavy and hearty Cheese Enchiladas; or the tasty Mexican Street Corn topped with crema, cotija cheese and spices.

For something that's certainly original, try David's signature Blue Corn Bread. Baked to order and served in a skillet, this twist on cornbread uses blue corn meal to give it a different look with all that same great taste.

"It's topped with a little bit of jalapeño butter right on top, so by the time it gets to you the butter is slightly melted all over the corn bread, and you just dig right in with a spoon."

If you want to dig into something hot and cheesy, grab a chip and plunk it into Vida's Goat Cheese Fundido. For a more traditional start, order a bowl of guacamole and sample one of Vida's Salsa Flights.

"You can try three different types of salsa. It's our salsa fresca, our salsa verde, and our mango habanero; three different levels of heat," David explained.

Tacos at Vida Cantina are most definitely an art David has been perfecting since childhood. The key to his taco making success is attributable to double wrapping each one with two corn tortillas.

"To me, what makes a great taco is not just a single shell. It has to have a double shell. Nothing worse than picking up a taco and all the ingredients falling out the bottom."

When they're stuffing those tacos, they don't skimp on the fillings. There's fried fish topped with slaw, avocado and salsa fresco, and unctuous Confit Pork Belly topped with cotija cheese and mango salsa. But it's the slow cooked Barbacoa di Carne braised in chipotle broth that's a true show stopper.

"It tastes amazing.," David said. "The Barbacoa itself is so juicy and tender, you can eat it plain right there. But then you put it on top of two corn tortillas, and then you add the cilantro and the onions that are really fresh. That's the perfect balance."

Vida Cantina also serves traditional tortas, Mexican sandwiches served on the same fluffy telera bread David enjoyed as a child. The white Mexican roll provides a great base for sandwiches like the Cubano, made with pastrami, seared queso fresco, bacon and pickles with a Dijon jalapeno crema spread; or the Fried Fish Torta dredged in blue corn meal and topped with jalapeño crema, guacamole, pickled red onions and cabbage slaw. But the favorite on the menu is the appropriately named 'Numbah One' torta.

"So the number one is our pollo asado which has been pounded thin. Then it's been breaded, fried, and then we toss that in a boom lime salt with chipotle aioli, guacamole, local lettuce, local tomatoes, a little bit of queso fresco," David described. "It tastes like heaven."

While you won't find a Watermelon Roll or a Fribble on the dessert menu, you will find traditional Mexican Churros, housemade ice cream and Mexican Poletas.

"A poleta is basically a Mexican popsicle and we do it here with local organic fruit," David explained. "We've done the blueberry. Right now we have a roasted peach on and then we'll just move throughout the season."

While executing authentic Mexican cuisine isn't easy, David can't imagine doing anything else.

"This is what I love to do. It's an art and I love being an artist and I love being able to put it out there every single day. I think that's the best feeling I have, and especially seeing that smile on people's face when they take that first bite of anything that we've created. I think it says a lot."

You can find Vida Cantina at 2456 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth, and online at vidacantinanh.com.

Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.