Zen Salsa

At first glance, I felt slightly threatened by the menu (not to mention the philosophy).  Latin-Asian fusion doesn’t sound very accommodating for someone who doesn’t like even the most garden variety vegetables.  But much to my surprise, every element in the four dishes I tasted at the new ViVe in Old Pasadena complimented each other in a way that the “Latin-Asian fusion” niche pitch doesn’t do justice to.

Brainchild of marketing entrepreneur John Peña with a menu created by recent California School of Culinary Art graduate Chef Micah, the restaurant is combination eatery and lounge. Prices range from $9.00 to $14.00 for appetizers and salads and $17.00 to $35.00 for entrees.

The décor at the just-opening ViVe Restaurant one block away from busy Colorado Street in Old Pasadena is more modern Zen than Latin, but the four hand-painted murals of salsa dancers and geisha girls help tie in the theme.  The plates, I soon discovered, were their own works of art complex, with deep flavors and stunning presentation.

To start, I was presented with what looked like the typical salsa and chips heaped onto a plate.  This, however, encapsulated everything the restaurant stands for.  The salsa was a hand-chopped pico de gallo with red onion, cilantro, and tomato, and the chips were instead fried wontons with coarse salt.  In few words, this fusion works.

Our second venture was seared ahi with mixed baby greens and sesame vinaigrette.  The ahi was mild, with the perfect amount of flavor and tenderness not too rare, but not over cooked.  The greens were not too bitter, something I slightly fear when taking a bite into a salad like this.  My personal favorite was the vinaigrette: sweet and slightly tangy, as well as smoky because of the sesame, which was not over-powering.  The presentation was tasteful and colorful, thanks in part to the fried plantain croutons (yes, plantain- I was actually delightfully surprised).

To follow was a five wild-mushroom quesadilla with roasted bell pepper coulis.  This was a savory dish, filled with thick mushrooms and crumbly, creamy white cheese.  The coulis was smoky, sweet and slightly tart.

As for the main course, we were served a dish selected by Chef Micah.  It was a seared halibut with “silky coconut sauce” over green and yellow long beans.  Not expecting the coconut flavor of the sauce, at first I was taken aback.  As I slowly savored the dish, I realized its simple perfection.  The fish was not fishy, not bland, but it was a perfect counterpoint for the rich coconut sauce.  It was very creamy and thick, with a wonderful sweetness that didn’t make the dish taste like a dessert.  The beans were a nice addition to the fish.

All in all, I was shocked to find that this restaurant fit into my small range of acceptable tastes.  Do not let the seemingly pretentious menu intimidate you the complicated names really just translate into “yummy.”

ViVe, 61 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena. (626) 583-8483 or www.ViVelounge.com. Mondays through Thursdays, 4:00 p.m. to midnight; Fridays and Saturdays, 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.; Sundays 11:00 a.m. to midnight. Live entertainment on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.