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Show c Landers C3 Weddings C4 lUesday. April 23, 1996 The Daily Herald Payson restaurant has a party atmosphere Los 4 Amigos HON. 800 ' Passim t Owner: Augustin Munoz Seems like friends and brothers on ranches are hanging out shingles all over town these days. Curiously, at least 10 Mexican restaurants in this county call themselves some variation of the Spanish "friends," "brothers," or "ranch.' This probably speaks more of Americans' much-note- d failure to become multilingual or at least learn a few more Spanish words than anything else. But if the names don't confuse you enough, here's the kicker Los 4 Amigos in Payson is actually fJcid of Mouth Robyn Openshaw-Pa- y v owned by three brothers, not four friends. Augustin manages the Payson establishment, and his brothers Jose and Jesus run sister restaurants (I couldn't resist) in Springville and Provo. Violating the unwritten rule in this valley's small towns that restaurants must locate on State or Main. Augustin's hideout is in an unlikely location, off the beaten track and behind a convenience store. The w arm. breey night we visited, Latin cooks unabashedly blared their native music from an ancient-lookin- g kitchen w ith the dixxs wide flung open. Inside, patrons were partying with volume and gusto for every reason under the sun. from birthday celebrations to little league winners' night. You have to ask the waitress for tlx specialty drinks since they're nu on the menu. Too many flavors SS name include The Big Kahuna and Raspberry, from the Salt Lake franchiser Lanikai (sounds like the Pacific Islands to me, but Latin or not, the interesting flavors make the drink like an upscale Slurpee). The menu features various Mexican egg dishes, like huevos rune hen, fried eggs with hot sauce, ham, beans, potatoes, and tortillas for $4.50. Expect altogether too many concessions to unconverted Americans like hamburgers, fries and steaks. The a la carte items you d expect are all there, at for nachos or like $2.65 prices $2.75 for a chimichanga. Each piece is smaller than you expect, which is nice for the price because you can try a few. A plate with a small enchilada, tostada. taco and burrilo is $5.20. and for a dollar more, you can add a yummy chile verde, beans, rice and a tortilla. Where the taco leaves off and the enchilada starts is a mystery, because presentation isn't a priority at Los 4 Amigos. Unfortunately, there's no opportunity to organize your own combination plate, only the tw o predetermined combo dinners or an odd convention: a lengthy list of dinners boasting three of the same item, from $4.25 for tostadas to $5.75 for small "smothered" burritos. Smothered pretty wx-1- sums it up. Everything is doused with sauce and cheese, rendering some of the food soggy. The upside, though: I've never seen such generosity w ith mounds of delicious which other restaurants tend to guard as if it were caviar. In fact, this establishment is free and easy with lots of extras, like sour cream and salsa too, so there's no need to order sides. The tortillas, native Mexican bread, might be the menu's best feature. Made by hand, they're heavy and wonderful (they're rolled, which rather than would make them lighter). For all the partying I saw going on, they don't encourage you to stick around, those Munoz brothers. There aren't any appetizers, unless you count the twx varieties of nachos in the a la carte menu. And no desserts, period. The service expects you to know the routine, without asking a lot of questions. The routine is, just eat your food and let someone in Ate crowd have your table, a hot commodity on a Friday night in Payson. fast-foo- 4 Savor the flavor of food off 1 Iwrr writer a6 , bles. The next day, transform the pork into a delectable Thai Salad. Sliced and tossed with shredded cabbage and a refreshing dressing flavored w ith mint and ginger, the tender meat will retain its savory grilled taste achieved from charcoal barbecuing. After a busy day, having the extras on hand will help you to effortlessly prepare a meal your family will love. While outdoor grilling is ideal for casual entertaining during the warmer months, it certainly doesn't have to be reserved for a special occasion, weekend-onl- y activity. d For the cook, charcoal barbecuing is a fast and simple way to prepare family meals midweek, especially if you grill more food than you'll need for dinner and can set aside the feeling of Sunday afternoons outdoors and allows you to wind down after a busy day. time-presse- Ptido Courtesy Kingslord Save Urns by putting pork loin rubbed with garlic (See RECIPES, Page C2) . . ... j- pasts on the grill tor dinner, voggies on the grill 0 trt psace or 2 J Sft 1. - to ( mi 0 uss ths leftover meat in a .salad the next day. - .to & thn rfak irSj s fc MA'teaH J. mt ' MSia t bsrry-odj- c simdl ej rnoys fine dining. She resules in Utuion with her hus band aikl two chiLiren. aTT section. Brush imxture as aRajT 'S 7cr M: , j i .. i, 1 - 0 ar whtf i v From Kingston! Products Company Grill once to eat twice. Wouldn't it be wonderful to savor the great flavor of charcoal-grilled food over two meals? Your family won't groan about leftovers if you make two deliciously different entrees from on stop at the grill. Preparing meals this way is so easy, it can be done any day of the week. Pork does double duty on the grill in these two recipes featuring a combination of popular Asian flavors. One evening, grill pork loin rubbed w ith a savory garlic paste. The fragrant aromas of pork and garlic as they sizzle over the coals will start mouths watering. Serve the pork with roasted potatoes or on a bed of jasmine rice, accompanied by your favorite summer vegeta- d, (five-stseal) Rating: Ribxn OjfnshitoPay is a fret' esaca VJ 6 gua-camo- , i-- V( the grill 1 hand-stretche- I (L ... (. V - - J ' - ''" , t; j .... |