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Hello, Eaters! Taste of Red Iguana, in Daybreak at 5434 Center Field Drive Suite 14 in South Jordan, is a new “taste” of the O.G. Red Iguana in Salt Lake City.

It’s one of the new restaurants that surround the entrance to The Ballpark at America First Square, and you can’t miss it as you’re walking toward the gate — just look for the giant red iguana.

Recently, I stopped in Taste of Red Iguana for a chat with Red Iguana owner Lucy Cardenas, who told me about the history of the legendary business while we enjoyed an impromptu lunch.

The origin story: The history of Red Iguana is long, but I’ll be brief. It started in 1985, when Lucy Cardenas’ father, Ramón Cardenas, opened the first Red Iguana in a tiny space on 300 West in Salt Lake City. But that whole block burned down, Lucy Cardenas said, so the Cardenas family moved Red Iguana in 1986 to the famous current location, at 736 W. North Temple in the Fairpark neighborhood. Lucy Cardenas calls that location “the mothership.” She and her husband, Bill Coker, bought the business in 2005 so her dad could retire. Don Ramón, as he was known, died last September at age 92.

Lucy Cardenas and Coker eventually opened Red Iguana 2 on South Temple and opened and closed Taste of Red Iguana in the City Creek Center. In May, Lucy Cardenas opened Taste of Red Iguana in Daybreak.

The vibe: Cool and funky, as is the style for Red Iguana, with bright pops of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and magenta, plus cute string lights. Look for the giant pair of dice, which Coker said symbolizes the gamble that he and Lucy Cardenas took in opening the place. The rock walls contain little additions like bottlecaps, Catholic curios and the symbol from her brother’s Cadillac. “It’s like a Santana song, because Santana is like our patron saint,” Cardenas said.

The menu: Don Ramon was from central Mexico, and Lucy Cardenas’ mom, Maria, was from Chihuahua, in northern Mexico. Lucy Cardenas said the Red Iguana menu is how her parents “interpreted” Mexican food. Her mom, who died in 2002, was “artistic,” Cardenas said, and knew how to make gourmet dishes, but she also picked up Tex-Mex-style cooking when she was working in New Mexico.

Lucy Cardenas said she doesn’t worry about what to call the food, and just describes it as “Red Iguana Mexican food.”

About 90% of the Red Iguana menu is available at Taste of Red Iguana, including several moles, tacos, burritos, enchiladas and Red Iguana “classics.” To read about my order, scroll down to “Dish of the Week.”

The hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Live deliciously,

Kolbie

Food News

• If you love matcha, don’t miss the SLC Matcha Event happening Sunday at Long An Market, at 125 W. 7200 South in Midvale, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Instagram post bills it as “Utah’s first-ever matcha event,” and it will feature food, pastries, jewelry, local goods and lots and lots of matcha.

Openings:

• Avenue Bakery is now open in Sugar House at 1950 S. 1100 East, according to an Instagram post. This bakery specializes in gluten-free treats, including cakes, pies, cookies, pastries, brownies and more, plus hoagie sandwiches, breads and grab & go dinners. Avenue Bakery also has a location in the Avenues, at 376 E. 4th Ave., called Avenue Bakery on Fourth, which I wrote about last year.

• Thirst Drinks, maker of dirty sodas, soft pretzels and beignets, is opening a new location at Millcreek Common at 1354 E. Chambers Ave. in Millcreek, according to an Instagram post.

• On Aug. 15 at 9 a.m., Pinkbox Doughnuts is having a grand-opening celebration for its new location in Sandy, at 10235 S. State St., according to a news release. This will be Pinkbox’s third location in Utah, and will be the first to feature an “interactive arcade experience” called a Pinkycade. The event will include doughnut eating contests, raffles, giveaways and a live DJ, and customers can bite into a doughnut for a chance to win a pink ticket, good for free doughnuts for a year, the release said.

• Has a restaurant opened or closed in your neighborhood? Let us know at food@sltrib.com.

Booze (and Drink!) News

• The state wants to build a new liquor store in Sugar House, next door to a sober clubhouse that’s been there since 1991. The regulars who go there for 12-step meetings and community have mixed opinions about the whole thing, with one saying it could be a “blessing” and another saying it could be a “death sentence.” Check out my story at sltrib.com.

• Come cheer for your favorite bartender at the finals for High West’s second annual cocktail competition, “The Fastest Hands in the High West,” happening Wednesday, Aug. 12, at 6 p.m., according to a news release. The free event will be held at High West Saloon in Park City, at 703 Park Ave., where bartenders from across the U.S. will engage in a “spirited test of speed, skill and whiskey-fueled craftsmanship,” the release said.

Dish of the Week

OK, I’d never had chile rellenos before I had them with Lucy Cardenas when I visited Taste of Red Iguana, but I’m glad, because hearing her talk about their history and meaning made the meal very special.

At Taste of Red Iguana, chile rellenos ($19.99) are made by stuffing two Anaheim peppers with jack cheese, dredging them in egg batter and frying them, and then topping them with salsa española, a tomato-based sauce. Cardenas said the chile rellenos are a tribute to her mom, who developed the recipe for the salsa española, including little touches like a hint of cinnamon. And Lucy Cardenas said she got started in the kitchen at Red Iguana by making chile rellenos, which they like to make at the restaurant especially around Cinco de Mayo.

I loved this dish so much. The peppers were so tender and flavorful, and the combination of the fried batter, the tomato and the cheese was so homey. But the company of Lucy Cardenas is what made the meal; I felt like she had invited me to eat at a table in her own home.