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Show Friday, February 15, 1991 The Daily Utah Chronicle - Page Thirteen The Red Iguana dishes up fine Mexican morsels There on the right, in big glaring red letters was the sign that read "Red Iguana." I stopped the car and we hurried inside to experience the food By Amber McKee Chronicle Feature Editor first hand. The iguana stared at me, never flinching. I picked up my fork and slowly put a bite of my Tacos Don Ramon in my mouth. Its glossy eyes watched as I gobbled down the spicy strips of sirloin smothered in guacamole and salsa. They were surrounded by a piping hot tortilla, and the cigarette smoke floating above my table. My eyes traveled down its scaly back as I chewed my dinner, enjoying the feel of the feast in the back of my mouth. Suddenly I spied something wrong. Large obvious stitches had been taken to close the gaping hole in the lizard's belly. I looked down at the beef strips and refried beans on my plate and stifled a gag. Such is the dining experience at the Red Iguana, located at 736 W. North Temple in Salt Lake City. A friend and I decided to dine there an evening not too long ago after a recommendation from mutual friends in which the words "cheap" and "fabulous" were brought up. Normally I am slightly nervous going out after dark on the west side of town, especially so near the railroad and Pioneer Park. We headed west on North Temple, driving over the bridge and past the El Rancho Bowling Lanes on the left. Going slowly to be sure not to miss the spot the first time, we passed the Red Cross Blood Donor Center and drove under the Interstate-8- The interior of the restaurant a 1950s truck stop complete with ripped red vinyl cushions in the booths and glittery white formica table tops. But that is where the comparisons stopped, as I got a whiff of the wonderful smell coming from the kitchen. A waiter showed us to our seats and promptly brought us a basket of hot tortilla chips and fresh mild salsa. Delicious. I decided on Tacos Don Ramon, while my friend chose Enchiladas Suisas. The tacos were marvelous, although very spicy. I recommend them only to those with resembled cast stomachs 'trR 'ill mine, unfortunately, wasn't. Despite that, I was willing to endure torture to taste them again; I ate my leftovers the next day for lunch, the serving size being sufficient to allow leftovers. The enchiladas, too, were a treat. -- cheese and avocado, smothered in a dark sauce which, if you taste very carefully, you can tell it has a smidgeon of unsweetened cocoa in it a much milder dish for those prone to gastronomical upsets. And the best thing about both of the dishes, is they were both around the $5 mark. In fact, nothing on the CHRONICLE PHOTOBgone J. Chen Fine Mexican food on the west side can be had at the Red Iguana. Other items on the menu included nachos, the traditional ala carte tacos, burritos and enchiladas as well as combination plates. Other plusses included a pitcher of water at the table as well as a cup of coffee with just a touch of cinnamon. Beverages other than water and coffee included traditional "virgin" blended drinks such as margaritas, fresh-brewe- d menu, that I could see, exceeded $8 even the sirloin steak, for those who don't feel like Mexican food when the rest of the family does. 'LA. Story' a story without a story station. He can't understand his girlfriend (Henner) and her strange guidelines to L.A. etiquette. He is a man who doesn't fit in with his surroundings. Then, one night, a freeway sign that was a bagpipe in a former life, Sean McBride Chronicle Film Critic By M. back plot line with very little variation. It is precisely the ultra-chi- c L.A. Story Directed by Mick Jackson Written by Steve Martin Distributed by Tri Star Pictures Produced by Daniel Melnick and Michael Rachmil Starring Steve Martin, Victoria quirky characterizations and L.A. jokes that save this film. The characters (stereotypes) are wonderful. They are well thought out and damn funny. Everything from the L.A. elite set, to the climate, to the beach to the city itself. All are targets for Martin's parody. And he keeps hitting the Film Review Tennant, Marilu Henner, Richard E. Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker bull's-ey- e. There are a lot of magical occurrences in the film which don't really work, but without them the plot wouldn't go anywhere. The real magic is in stops him and gives him some advice. Everything starts to change for Telemacher. He is fired from his job and dumped by his girlfriend. He is free to find a more meaningful relationship, so he begins to simultaneously pursue an English journalist (Tennant) and a free The plot is thin, the acting is uneven and the sparks never seem to fly between the lovers, but L.A. Story is nevertheless, a very enjoyable film. Go figure. In L.A. Story, Steve the tone of the film. Don't expect deep characterizations, a thickly plotted story line or a serious study of a city like Woody Allen's Manhattan. But rather, sit back Go see L.A. Story. spirited girl named SanDeE Martin plays a man embarrassed by his success in the shallow world of the Los Angeles "in crowd." He hates his goofball job as the Wacky Weatherman on a local TV Harris and let Steve Martin and co. entertain you with their witty L.A. of impersonations stereotypes. They are hilarious. What more could you want from (Parker). It's a question of going off with the one he loves or the one that he has "really great sex Telemacher, with." It's a standard Boy-loses-Gi- Boy-meets-Gi- rl, Boy-wins-Gi- rl, an unassuming comedy? rl- ACEMT WELL, The ( A RGO0EP OCT WAY T THOSE STlfDENrS (UWllERW BELCMJ WElE rK)TACT M THAT 4R f MP rcM RcT0M,5O W OFT'CE AMP RUM FOR 0F MOO ppgXPEMT" PLANET- - TH PLATFbPM GEARED OEPPSEN I'M COMPUTER vene& to the ill i l V FPK peciDS TO P1S60(5 MVSiF AS A STUDENT life of this J WITCfs" ito THE UNivERSrry BELOW TO 6IVE Mc lD&s5 IAJ CfZEKVING At VE intelligent to AllW6 IT THE AMD I'M ' AMD W OlrJG. To BB. A&AST fi&CRtiai "WD FDR AND ASftiNKrr THE 0ULF WAR (So THAT DoMT OFFEND and daquiris, pina an inconvenience. All in all, the experience was XI s mS AMD SHIP AND lH 6CNG PARTY THE T&T TO CA.IX. Ker HAVE fc Pi J uixj Meat W (AJELL J I'M GOlMG To cALL THlMS TCOAWD ATRm?M ALL THE ALL thiM5 You'fc c&r 6oN& TO - T- O- UUKE AMP I'M VfcUf25- - MV AlSO GONG n Fez A T0IT6AJ TOO jTir s TO -T- - PACKING SERUICCS IQO iOPr O-CALL gut 66 THAT' (M THEJ2E- THC6-- E Jonsson Chronicle Theatre Critic By Jeremy White P. Man Dancing Stephen Metcalfe Directed by Nancy Borgenicht Starring David Mong and Allen Nevins Salt Lake Acting Company By the Metcalfe, Stephen playwright of White Man Dancing, has worked on the screenplays of Pretty Woman and Arachnophobia. You may say to yourself, "So what? There wasn't much scintillating dialogue in Pretty Woman, nor did the spiders have many witty lines in Amchnophobia." In one, the redeeming quality was some funky special effects and exploitation of a primal fear. In the other, the redeeming quality was Julia Roberts running around scantily clad. This doesn't mean that the screenwriter is an absolute clod with no perspective on life. I mean, even Woody Allen writes better stage plays than movie scripts. On top of that, Woody even has control over what happens in his films, so you shouldn't hold a couple of coming up with a play, like White Man Dancing. The Salt Lake Acting Company is staging the show, and for those of you who don't know, it's a small theater located in the Northwest corner of the city. They put on the - J'M shows other nt local companies the risque the politically sensitive and the bizarre. They are willing to take couldn't get away with; L SHOULD Up rf TELL THEM THE ELECTION CHtXTJ 1 r WHY 5rOIL-THE1- R FUN? worthwhile. If your idea of an ideal dinner is violin music and waiters in d tuxedos, go to Le Parisien Mulboons. or But if excellent tasting long-taile- authentic Mexican food in a casual believe me, really casual setting for under $10 dollars a person including tip, is music to your mouth, the Red Iguana is the place for you. 'White Man Dancing' sexist, but not racist artistically questionable movies against a guy. It should always be possible for a writer to win back some dignity and respect by unni : i i I AM TME coladas. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately for some, the Iguana is unable to sell any type of alcohol or beer for the time being because of the changes in Utah's liquor laws. For those who like to sip on a cold Corona while they eat their enchilada, this might be a bit of semi-brillia- CFTMht,f - iti:riS-- C3q They consisted of a corn tortilla wrapped around chicken, swiss overpass. 0 iron i ytg"gf risks with shows which are not the g fare. standard is that Del (David The set-u- p Mong) just left his wife, and Stuart crowd-pleasin- (Allen Nevins) has just been dumped by his girlfriend. Del moves in with Stuart, and wackiness and hilarity ensue. Sounds corny, but it's not. It is fun wackiness and hilarity. The plot, from here, is just a couple of white guys sitting around, drinking beer and wondering about women. By the way, these white men do dance, but only when there are no women around. They make some observations which, to me, sound profound and brilliant, but to a female ear may ring a sour note. For instance, men, have you ever noticed that women want what other women have? When you are involved with someone, you get ten times as many opportunities with other women than when you weren't involved? See, if you are a guy, you are now probably stroking your chin and saying, "Hey, I never thought about that before." If you are a woman, you are probably offended a retort of some nature. So, men, only take a woman to see this if you are sure that your relationship can stand a few jolts of gender tension. If your girlfriend complains when you leave the toilet seat up, don't take her. If your girlfriend complains about your Playboy collection, don't take her. If she doesn't understand that men and women see things differently, for God's sake, don't take her. If on the other hand, she is demure and submissive, it wouldn't do any harm, so take her, she may understand you better. Women. ..umm... maybe you should sit this one out, OK? You would probably only get upset and make a scene. and coming up with No, I'm sorry. Go and see it if you want, probably just making I am the chauvinistic assumption that you are all too dimwitted to take an intelligent statement about gender relations seriously, and would overreact. Sorry, that's not what I wanted to say. I meant to say, that this is, in my humble, male opinion, a very biased piece. The women these guys talk about are all negative characters. They are either confused, helpless wenches, or sleazy tramps who will run away with a bartender the moment you turn your back. Of course, the see "theatre" on page fifteen |
