Red Iguana, Salt Lake City

Many many different mole sauces. Wonderful food. Go there.

In fact, consider a special trip. It's that good.

While I agree with the implication that this is the place to eat in Salt Lake, I can't go any further.

rhayes wrote:Many many different mole sauces. Wonderful food. Go there.

In fact, consider a special trip. It's that good.

I eat there every time we go to SLC and it is good, certainly the best you will find _out there_. It's the atmosphere of El Tapatio with the taste of Geno Bahena and the portions of El Rancho (RIP). It's a standout in a town where the best steak house in town covers your porterhouse with french fries and you can't order a double-anything.

--trent

That sounds about right. This is interesting, because of the effect the context of SLC has on my impression of the restaurant. Red Iguana is probably the best call in probably the worst restaurant town in America (at least among decent-sized cities, say with a pro sports team or a large airport). How would it do elsewhere? Now, I agree it is pretty good, and has that odd mix of Western US and "real" Mexican style that seems to exist ony in the Mountain time zone.

Last time I was in Salt Lake for business, I asked the concierge where I should take a client for dinner. The answer: Park City.

JeffB wrote:That sounds about right. This is interesting, because of the effect the context of SLC has on my impression of the restaurant. Red Iguana is probably the best call in probably the worst restaurant town in America

"Worst restaurant town in America." Can I use that? It truly is one bad place to sit down for dinner. It may be my penchant for dirty local bars, but another place on my "always-go" is the Cotton Bottom for a garlic burger.

JeffB wrote:Last time I was in Salt Lake for business, I asked the concierge where I should take a client for dinner. The answer: Park City.

If only for it's ability to skirt the outmoded liquor-laws of the region...


When I was out there for the Olympics we got stuck eating at (cr)Applebee's, since it was after 11pm and all the decent folk were asleep. There was a table of Germans nearby (after the Germany vs. Canada hockey game) and I heard "So nice to be eating in a _real American_ restaurant."

I wanted to die.

--trent

Got to visit The Red Iguana on my trip to Salt Lake this Thanksgiving. It may not always be pretty and it certainly doesn't have the service or comfort of a Chilpancingo or Topolobampo, nor the high end ingredients, but the soul of the place is closer, I think, to what the tias and abuelas make in the fondas of Mexico. More like Taqueria Puebla.

The Red Iguana


Mole Amarillo


Enmoladas