Lesli J Nielsen of the Salt Lake Tribune kicks off this weeks relatively small round-up. Lesli reviews the locally renowned Red Iguana. Endless reams have been written on the Red Iguana and the merits of it’s moles. I’d be surprised if there was a Salt Lake local who hadn’t already heard about their great food and infamous table wait times. Which is why I personally have never been, the queues outside always scare me off. Is the food so much better than everywhere else?

Red Iguana: 736 W North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84116

Ted Scheffler of the City Weekly heads to The Tea Grotto for a cup of tea or three. Ted doesn’t cover any food items, so I presume it’s a tea only joint. That said, they do feature a wide variety of teas. Also worthy of note are the tea tastings. Conducted much like wine tastings these are held on Saturday afternoons.

The Tea Grotto: 2030 S 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84105

Finally, Kelly Ashkettle of In Utah This Week samples the delights of Mazza. Much like the Red Iguana (but possibly to a lesser degree), Mazza is another local favourite of much praise. Kelly gives Mazza a great write up, citing “Highs: Extraordinary use of spices, Lows: I have to rack my brain to think of any, but perhaps extending a carpeted area to cover more of the tile floor would add to the softness of the space.”.

We are also big fans of Mazza. We have only ever had one or two dishes that missed their mark, on the whole our experiences have been very positive. In particular I recall being so moved by a perfectly seasoned Lamb & Rice Dolaa, that I actually asked our waitress to compliment the chef. I don’t do that very often.

Mazza: 912 E 900 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84105