Mi Buena Vida

He said:

Recently, a technician at my pharmacy told me she had been to a nice Mexican restaurant. My ears immediately perked up, as I’m always on the hunt for good Mexican options. When I realized the restaurant was just down the street from my mother’s place, I knew I would soon be able to visit. I also wondered how I had missed it before. It turns out, it’s fairly new, having only opened a few months ago.

Mi Buena Vida occupies the third floor of the Legends Container Village in Springville. And that’s just what it sounds like, at least if it sounds like a building made entirely out of recycled shipping containers. The Legends Container Village was developed by Rick Salisbury to pay homage to Americana, and to motorcycle culture specifically. His 200-motorcycle museum anchors the development, which seeks to bring motorcycle enthusiasts and the general public together with a mix of entertainment, dining, and shopping experiences.

About 20 shipping containers have been stacked, welded, bracketed, and creatively deconstructed to create an entire building with an industrial aesthetic. That design choice carries into the restaurant. The narrow hallway between the elevator and the reception kiosk was flanked by a row of mismatched chairs on one side and a wall of flowers sculpted from scrap metal on the other. The chairs were made of wood, each in a different style and painted or stained in a variety of colors. Some chairs by themselves had four or five different colors of stain. One was speckled with stray splatters of paint and purposely made to appear like it had just been salvaged from a work site.

Everything appeared antique, distressed, and salvaged, from the décor to the storage cabinets. Even the ceiling joists and ductwork appeared old and rusty, but careful examination would reveal that it was all intentionally painted to merely appear so.

Our service began with traditional chips and salsa. The seasoned chips were light and crispy, but it was the salsa that captured my attention. A dark purée with a robust, smoky flavor, the salsa had no tomatoes in it. Instead, it appeared to be made from dried chiles. I found it far more interesting than the typical blend of tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. It didn’t have much heat to it, so I was able to recommend it to Kathy.

A couple of selections on the menu caught my attention. The Chiles En Nogada featured poblanos stuffed with pork, mango, walnuts, and strawberries. That sounded great, but Kathy decided to order it, so I kept looking.

I asked the waiter for suggestions, and he recommended the Fajitas. I do like Fajitas, but I wanted to try something different, so I asked him about the Filet Mignon Catrina. He told me it was good, but since it featured a filet mignon, he thought that the smaller portion size might be off-putting. Eight ounces didn’t sound bad to me, and I was really intrigued by its Cotija sauce. Usually, Cotija cheese is served as a fine crumble atop tacos or burritos. I haven’t encountered it in a sauce before, so I decided to give it a try.

We continued to enjoy our chips and salsa while we waited for our entrées to arrive. Kathy, observing other patrons, discovered a self-serve salsa bar, which I decided to investigate. I found a dozen varieties of salsa with a range of spice levels. I returned to our table with a sample of “Spicy Mix Berries.” They really nailed it with the terrific flavor of blackberries, but I couldn’t discern any spicy heat to it. I even figured it would be safe for Kathy, so she tried it and agreed it wasn’t hot. I guess they have to traverse a fine line. On one hand, I would have liked to see how the tangy-sweet berries would complement a bit of heat. On another hand, Kathy wouldn’t be able to enjoy it that way. It can be a bit tricky finding great Mexican food that isn’t too spicy for Kathy, but that was not a problem at Mi Buena Vida.

My meal arrived with three small side dishes, all excellent. The mashed potatoes—with lumps, just as I prefer—had a hint of garlic, though not overpowering. A splash of chimichurri enhanced it even more with its tangy, herbaceous flavor. A serving of Mexican rice was joined by a bowl of black beans that had a hint of sweetness and a somewhat smoky flavor.

But the highlight, of course, was the Filet Mignon Catrina. The filet, topped with microgreens, sat in a pool of creamy Cotija sauce, with an edible orchid blossom as garnish. Unfortunately, I found the filet to be a bit tough and overcooked. I did find a little pink in the center of the thickest portion, so I think they must have struggled to cook the thick filet evenly. Still, my enjoyment was only diminished a little because of the sauce. Oh, the sauce! I had wondered what they would do with Cotija cheese, as it doesn’t melt when cooked. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was really pretty simple. They incorporated it into a silky roux. The result was rich, creamy, velvety, and oh-so decadent! It was a revelation and the best part of my meal.

She said:

So, Brian and I decided to go eat after visiting his parents in Springville. It was already well past dinner time, and it didn’t make sense going all the way home to prepare a meal. When we pulled into the parking lot of the shopping district, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I saw colorful neon signs, a lit-up Ferris wheel with alternating colors, and a multi-seat motorcycle propped up against a staircase. There was also a coffee shop on the first floor, but because it was dark out, I was confused about where the Mi Buena Vida restaurant was located. Duh. All I needed to do was look up.

Once we rode the elevator up to the third floor and stepped out, I felt as though I’d been transported into a bar scene with Jar Jar Binks from a Star Wars movie because everything looked antiquated, distressed, and cobbled together with scrap metal. Now, this is not my preferred aesthetic, but I was charmed and intrigued by it all, nonetheless.

I especially appreciated the two-sided floral wall that was crafted out of metal pieces. They were painted in muted shades of red, orange, green, white, teal, and yellow. These colors were repeated in all of the mismatched chairs throughout the dining room. All of the tables were wooden, but ours was especially interesting because it was crafted out of blocks from different species of wood, all glued together to create one big square table.

One last thing that caught my attention was the artwork on the walls, painted with many yellow, black, and brown tones. From what I could discern, each painting was on sheet metal. There were scenes of horses, a conquistador, a mariachi band, some banditos, etc. I liked them because they were quirky.

Oh, wait up. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the “rusty” metal wagon wheel light fixtures and the industrial container doors suspended over our heads as an artistic statement. I felt like we were in hip, downtown Seattle rather than Springville, Utah.

Now, about the food . . .

Can I just say, “Wow”?

My enjoyment began with the chips and salsa. The tortilla chips were lightly seasoned, probably with paprika, and the salsa had a rich, thick texture with a smoky taste that I really appreciated.

I ordered the Chiles en Nogada, with black beans and cilantro rice as my sides. I loved the earthy flavor of the beans. The cilantro rice had a terrific flavor, but I wish it had been a bit more tender. I'm not fond of al dente rice. My dish consisted of two poblano chiles that were stuffed with juicy shredded pork, mango, walnuts, and strawberries. Topping the peppers was a supremely light and fluffy walnut-based cream sauce, sprinkled with cilantro and pomegranate seeds. Not only did it look beautiful, it was scrumptious. All of those wonderful flavors and textures were perfectly blended together. They truly delighted my palate and satiated my appetite.

Of course—as usual—my only regret is that there was no room for dessert. Maybe I’ll sample one next time. 😋

Conclusion:

Whether you’re looking for a quirky, reclaimed industrial aesthetic or just a great Mexican meal, give Mi Buena Vida a try!