Lots to say yes to at Cactus Ya Ya

Why: Cactus Ya Ya is a full service restaurant and bar that serves Southwestern cuisine in a uniquely designed space fitting for its menu selections. The restaurant has been in business for 21 years and welcomes family dining for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

What I Tried: My dining companion and I started with the Ya Ya rolls made with peanut chicken, and for our entrees we had the Baja fish tacos, made with halibut and served with rice and black beans, and a turkey Reuben sandwich with a green salad side.

Pre-meal chips are accompanied by Ya Ya salsa and black-eyed pea dip. The chips are a mix of white and yellow, light, delicate, corn tortilla chips. We found both chip dipping options had an appetizing smoky character, not to be confused with what is served at a Mexican restaurant. The salsa offered a thin option, and the black-eyed peas had a thicker constancy. These were easily layered on a chip for combined flavor.

The Ya Ya rolls were made by wrapping shredded chicken and veggies in a fresh flour tortilla. The wrap was then cut into sections. It was served with two dipping options: a peanut sauce, and a soy ginger sauce, and the plate was garnished with sliced green and red cabbage. The first thing I noted was the red cabbage, used as garnish and in the wrap, was obviously not fresh. It was dry and had lost much of its flavor and it was beginning to show rust. Of the dipping sauces, I preferred the peanut one for its ability to bring more life to the somewhat bland tasting wrap which was unfortunately overpowered by the flavor of the flour tortilla. The other dip was tangy, much like a vinaigrette, and although a good pairing with the chicken in the roll, it clashed with the tortilla.

The fish taco, made with a flour tortilla (you may opt for corn, as well), contained a delicious, beer-battered halibut fillet that was a suitable size for the taco. It was deep-fried to a golden crisp and was not excessively oily. The fish sat atop a bed of green and red cabbage (obviously from the same source as used with the Ya Ya rolls) and was topped with a creamy cilantro sauce and a tad of pico de gallo, which also accompanied the dish on the side. The elements of the pico de gallo were somewhat translucent and very soft, a characteristic of the pre-made refrigerated variety you can purchase at the grocery store. There was also a few tough onion pieces in it from the onion not correctly peeled down to the soft layer. It seemed as though the bright green, fresh, cilantro mixed in was an attempt to pass it off as fresh. Despite the dry cabbage in the taco, it was tasty. The black beans had melted cheese on them, and the rice had a delicious Southwestern personality, but it was a bit too dry for my liking.

The turkey Reuben sandwich consists of a generous amount of sweet apple cabbage, lean turkey breast meat, melted Swiss cheese, and a sandwich sauce on toasted hazelnut bread. The sandwich was mostly characterized by the presence of the cabbage, which reminded me of spiced cranberry jam. The side salad that accompanied the sandwich consisted of romaine lettuce, which was bright and fresh, Parmesan cheese, sunflower seeds, and some more of that dry, red cabbage. The plate was garnished with a whole pepperoncini, which I always enjoy drizzling the liquid from over the salad to spice it up. Disappointingly, when I bit off the end to accomplish this, nothing spilled from it — similar to the cabbage, it was dry.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: The Southwestern Pasta entree consists of penne pasta, Cajun chicken, mushrooms, and pico de gallo in a garlic cream sauce topped with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and green onion. Served with a green salad and warm tortilla, this dish sounded tasty.

I thought the SW Enchilada sounded intriguing. It is made with halibut or salmon poached in herbs, lemon, and white wine, with smoked cheddar cheese and capers rolled in a flour tortilla and topped with a garlic cream sauce and pico de gallo.

Burger options include a half-pound Angus beef burger, and the Southwestern Philly Steak sandwich is made with marinated flank steak.

An ice cream chocolate taco and caramel flan are available for dessert.

Beverages include Pepsi products, iced tea, lemonade, coffee, Stash tea, milk, juice, cocktails, microbrews, wine, and specialty margaritas.

Atmosphere: Southwestern decor permeates the space and gives the restaurant a distinctive look. The color palette consists of green, orange, yellow, and purple in color block style on walls that have an exterior quality and are accented with metallic Southwest designs. The furniture is classic black, and most of the seating is at tables and chairs with a few booths interspersed. A metal-fence type of divider topped with string lights separates the restaurant space from the bar. A large-screen TV provides entertainment in the bar. Lighting is kept uniform with attractive hanging fixtures, and there are a few ceiling fans. A fireside patio with seating wraps around two sides of the restaurant where tables are topped with petite red umbrellas which match red begonias planted in flower boxes along the fence.

Other Observations: The waitstaff was attentive and friendly, and the restaurant is clean and tidy.

To-go orders are welcome.

Cost: Appetizers range from $6.95 to $9.25. Salads are $6.25 to $8.95 unless you opt for a meat addition for an extra $2.95 to $3.95. Soups are $6.25 or $6.50. Entrees range from $6.50 to $13.95. Burgers and sandwiches cost $8.50 to $9.25. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, chili rellenos, chimichangas, and tamales may be ordered a la carte for $4.95 to $8.25 or with a beans and rice option with or without an additional item for $7.25 to $11.50. Fajitas and Combinations cost $13.95. Quesadillas are $9.25 to $10.25. Sides are $1.25 to $7.95.Z

Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday; noon to midnight Saturday; 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Where: 15704 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver.

Contact: 360-944-9292. Facebook is another source of information on Cactus Ya Ya.

Health Score: Cactus Ya Ya received a score of 0 on January 20. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants with a score of 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.