Dining out: Loco Lizard Cantina

HOLLADAY — In the couple years since it opened in Holladay, Loco Lizard Cantina has settled in well.

This eatery, which has an older sister site in Park City, balances traditional Mexican with innovative twists, as well as a slightly "upscale" environment that nonetheless welcomes all comers.

I wasn't sure how we would do with the kids at Loco Lizard, but I need not have worried. A huge sign in the lobby proclaims that any kids arriving for dinner in sports uniforms get a free kids meal (if their parents buy an adult meal, of course). I figured, if sweaty, grass-stained soccer kids are welcome, mine must be, too!

And they were, along with the rest of the family. I saw plenty of couples talking intimately near the bar at Loco Lizard, but we fit right into a commodious booth near both the windows and a giant lizard painted on the wall.

Seconds after we arrived at our table, we were served a bucket of crisp, warm chips with dishes of chunky salsa roja and creamy salsa verde. I liked them both but particularly enjoyed the verde, with its unusual texture and smooth finish.

We started with the pork-and-onion taquitos, crisply fried rolls of corn tortilla containing just enough sweetly seasoned meat to make them moist and chewy. We also tried the sampler plate of tamales, with one each of pork, chicken and wild mushroom. I'm a big tamale lover, and Loco Lizard's three varieties fared well, particularly with regard to their moist, tender fillings. The wild mushroom tastes a little unusual and wouldn't be for all palates, but it's a fresh take on a traditional dish.

Diners looking for more sophisticated starters could try the ceviche — fresh scallops and shrimp, marinated in citrus juices — or ancho chiles stuffed with beef, pork, nuts and raisins.

For dinner, the kids shared a meal of "lizard legs," otherwise known as chicken strips, while my husband chose the chicken combo, which features a chicken enchilada, taco and tamale with salsa verde. Everything on the plate was good, but I particularly liked the sweetish, plumply filled enchilada. The meal was served with black beans and Loco Lizard's Mexican rice, which is a nice surprise, being both quite moist and studded with peas, carrots and corn.