Welcome to the Red Iguana

                                                                                                                                                                                          

So, we decided to check out the Red Iguana. My friend, Tia had told me that Alejandro Escovedo was quoted as saying that this place had better Mole than anywhere in Austin. Now, I am neither a fan of his music, nor am I really a fan of Mole. However, I found it intriguing that Salt lake City, Utah could offer better Mexican food than Texas or Southern California. (yes, yes..perhaps I am still being a bit closed-minded still of Salt Lake City.)

We went around 6 p.m. and we had to wait for about 45 minutes. I hadn't realized that this place was such a hot spot, and apparently  it is so much so that they opened another Red Iguana right near this one to handle the business. When we were seated the atmosphere is very cozy, the tables were small but accommodating, and the walls are brightly colored and delightfully cluttered. (I wanted to get better pictures but by that time the place was so crowded and the light was not very good, that I didn't want to flash people in the face while they were eating, wondering why a stranger is taking pictures of them.)

The waiter was very charming and knowledgeable. They have a huge menu, which made deciding difficult. We just started with the usual Chips and Salsa. The chips were the thick corn chips, and much to my surprise the salsa was actually a bit spicy. It was your typical red salsa, but I was happy to have that kick. 

We also decided to have a beverage. The Margarita de Jamaica sounded to good to pass up. It was very good and light.  

Margarita de Jamaica: Made with real Jamaica blossom syrup made in house, simple syrup, cazadores blanco tequila, shaken, and garnished with a sugared jamaica blossom. Served in a martini glass.

Now let me introduce you to our dishes...

Enchiladas Poblanas: $8.35..Two sour cream cheese enchiladas topped with their traditional enchilada sauce, melted jack cheese, avocado slices, and a dollop of sour cream. 

Brooks got this dish and I tried it. It was very good. Everything tasted fresh and sauce was excellent. The portions are large. The only thing is that you have to order rice and beans separately. Which actually I wouldn't necessarily have missed since there was so much food as it was. The Rice and Beans were very good. Beans are part of my test when I am deciding if I think a place is good or not. The rice was a traditional Mexican rice with vegetables in it, and the beans were cooked just right. They didn't taste vegetarian but I didn't ask, and not too salty or lacking salt.

Enchiladas Suizas: (2) $8.95..Avocado slices and sour cream chicken topped with mole poblano and melted jack cheese.

Apparently one of their more popular dishes, I decided to give it a try because I wanted to try the mole without it having to be the main attraction. The Red Iguana serves 7 different kind of moles. Here's a description of Mole Poblano.

Mole Poblano: Puebla's beloved mole...guajillo and ancho dried chilies, peanuts, sesame seeds, walnuts, raisins, bananas and Mexican chocolate.

It was sweet and only slightly spicy. Very mild. It went well with the avocado and sour cream. I would recommend it to anyone who was trying mole for the first time. 

I was excited to try this restaurant and I am excited to go back. I am interested in trying more things from their extensive menu. 

www.rediguana.com

 " Pre-Hispanic food Imperial Aztec cuisine and Moctezuma's table. Distinctively Mexican"

Red Iguana

736 West North Temple

Salt Lake City, UT 84116

801.322.1489