Wasatch Broiler basic, tasty

Wasatch Broiler & Grill is both more and less than I expected.

This unassuming restaurant, located in a shopping center that seems to be suffering effects of the economic downturn, is casual in atmosphere but offers a menu with some surprisingly upscale touches.

The food is prepared as healthfully as possible, with lean meats marinated for flavor and then grilled, plus grilled and steamed side dishes.

There's also a personalized food bar, kind of like a Mongolian grill, where customers can choose a selection of veggies and meat to have them grilled with Wasatch Broiler's "unique savory sauce." That was the "more" part for me.

The "less" part came when I looked over the menu, though this may seem like something strange to say about a menu that arrives at the table looking like a spiral-bound novel.

Yes, there's a lot to choose from. But the food has a certain pared-down element. The many healthful touches aside, it's almost what I would call a classic lineup, as if the restaurant's managers decided simply to serve food they like rather than making it fit some category.

We tried one of the three simple appetizers, a plate of pitas plus seasoned cucumbers and veggies with fresh hummus. Every part of the dish was fresh and basic — in a good way.

My husband had a kebab combination plate, with one stick of steak and one of chicken. I must say, the folks at Wasatch Broiler have a way with meat, and that care shows. The chicken, seasoned to a bright yellow-orange with tangy, savory herbs and spices, was piquant and juicy, as was the excellent and amazingly tender steak. Both were grilled with peppers and onions for extra flavor.

I liked the fact that our server let my husband choose to try both the lemon rice and the seasoned potatoes. The bright-yellow rice was tasty and well-prepared but not very lemony, while the potatoes were delicious, cooked perfectly and nicely seasoned in ways that complemented the kebabs.

I eschewed my typical attraction for a menu's more unusual offerings and went basic, ordering the chicken penne pasta with garlic Alfredo sauce. I was glad, too, because this Alfredo was the best I've had since regularly enjoying Utah's Gold Standard of Alfredos at La Ferrovia, back when I lived in Ogden.

The sauce was silky, milky, pure white and superlatively simple, ladled over teeny little al dente penne noodles, mixed with lean, gently cooked chicken and sprinkled with cheese. Yum.