EatingOUT: 

Stroll down Baltimore Avenue and your eyes are sure to be caught by the colorful exterior of Iguana Grill (52 Baltimore Ave.). A long time beach goer’s favorite, Iguana captures the happy-go-lucky mood that you often want in a restaurant. First of all, there’s that huge wraparound porch, the perfect setting to have a cool drink and watch the crowds go by. The interior is brightly colored in tones of orange, yellow, blue, purple and green, giving the whole place a kind of southwest flavor. There’s a long, comfortable bar, just right for sitting on a wide stool and ordering up one of their twenty-five or so beer offerings, or maybe a Sangria.

We were seated by Karen, who could give lessons on how to treat people. She was friendly, courteous, there when we needed her, and had answers to all our questions. While the atmosphere at Iguana is casual, the attention given to the food is not. There’s a blackboard featuring the daily specials which changes (of course) daily, and, (bonus points!), drink specials every night. There’s a seemingly endless list of appetizers, many of which are touched with a little fire. Red Hot Chili Poppers: six chili peppers stuffed with cream cheese, battered, deep fried and served with pepper jam have been a longtime favorite of mine. But, in the mood to try something different I ordered the Popcorn Shrimp. They’re so tender and good that it’s a temptation to stuff your mouth full of them, just like real popcorn. Susan thought the Black Bean Soup would fit the bill for her. The soup arrived dark and spicy with a dollop of sour cream, and sweet onions rimming the bowl.

The menu boasts muchas quesadillas to which you can add a variety of things to perk up your interest. The salad selections are very tempting. An order of Tucson Taco Grande went by our table and it looked fantastic, a gigantic tortilla shell piled high with romaine lettuce, chili, tomato, cheeses, guacamole, sour cream and topped with jalapenos. It comes with a word of caution, "most cannot finish this meal." I believe that! And, there are specialty sandwiches served from 11 a.m. ‘til 5 p.m. All of your favorites are listed, but the Beach Dawg is billed as "the biggest weenie at the beach," a half pound of beef on a bun. You decide.

From a variety of entrees, I chose the Grilled BBQ Ribs, and Susan picked one of the specials of the day, Cajun Catfish. (You will probably notice that Susan orders a lot of catfish. That’s a result of our trip last year to the Galapagos when the on-board oceanographer, Sylvia Earle, told us that the only two fish species that were edible without endangering the balance of fish populations, are tilapia and catfish. Period.) The catfish was not only politically correct, but was moist and flaky with just the right amount of seasonings. It was sided with a creamy, garlic infused rice pilaf, and a medley of fresh vegetables. The meaty pork ribs were cooked to the perfect fall-off-the-bones consistency, and the sauce was just the right combination of hot and sweet. Aren’t mashed potatoes just the greatest comfort food? The ones that came with my ribs were garlicky and smooth, just as I like ‘em. The vegetables were the same as Susan’s, a mixture of carrots and green and wax beans.

For dessert you might want to pick one of their special coffee drinks. They’re a real mixed bag of international flavors such as Jamacian, Mexican, Spanish, Irish, Italian, Sicilian, and the ever popular Hot Screamin’ Orgasm. Even though I tried to lead Susan in this direction, she ordered the Iguana Coffee: Bailey’s Irish Cream, Kahlua, hot black coffee topped with a mini-mountain of whipped cream. The Orgasm just couldn’t have been better than this was. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when I read about the Tropical Island Treat. Two scoops of coconut ice cream served with a shot of hot chocolate sauce on the side, and a coconut cookie. It was mine, all mine, each delicious spoonful.

But the best treat was saved until the last. Karen brought Chef Vinnie Augustoni over to our table to say hello. No toque for Vinnie—he wore a backwards baseball cap that set off the cutest face I’ve seen in a long time. This is his third year of cooking and also his third year at Iguana. Attaboy, Vinnie! Keep the good things coming. You have two new fans, and are sure to make many, many more.