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I recently ate at three Salt Lake Valley Mexican restaurants, which hadn't been visited by The Tribune for more than five years. While I didn't find the overall dining experience out of this world at any of these places, I did discover some excellent menu items along the way.

Since 1995, La Morena Café has been housed in a nondescript building in the Rose Park neighborhood near North Temple and 1400 West. The signage is so simple it's easy to pass it by.

I think owners Maria and Manuel Ramirez must have the right idea, as the restaurant has some peculiar hours: It's open Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. I imagine this allows the family to have a life outside of the restaurant business.

The white-walled restaurant is decorated with colorful Mexican blankets and pictures of local Latino dignitaries, and the Ramirezes keep the 27-seat place virtually spotless. The two-page menu offers the greatest-hits of Mexican cuisine: tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, burritos, chimichangas, tamales and flautas.

Rice and decent-tasting refried beans accompany nearly every dish, including a big carne asada burrito with rather tough, diced steak, lettuce, avocado and pico de gallo ($9.10), whose flavors never really seemed to come together. I've tasted lighter, fluffier masa that holds proteins such as pork, beef or chicken in the tamales (one for $7.45; two for $10.10).

But the real gems on the menu are the chile verde (side for $3.25; bowl for $6.25; and topped on just about any dish) and cheese-stuffed chiles rellenos, which, though fried, are light (one for $8.20; two for $11.50). Tender bits of pork mingle with onions, spices and habanero chiles, which give the chile verde its heat.

I've thought about that sauce more than once since my visit to La Morena. I might consider picking some up for dinner, and then heading to Hector's Miramar to purchase some absolutely delicious flan.

Some people have a love-it or hate-it opinion about the dessert, which used to be a textural challenge for me, but not anymore. When it's done poorly, it can be rubbery and tasteless. But when it's done well, it's a tender, caramel-coated wedge that easily gives to the slice of a fork and can be devoured in minutes. Such was the case at Hector's Miramar.

Situated just west of Nightmare on 13th, this restaurant was once a car lot. Glassed-in sales offices now serve as individual dining rooms — perfect for families with young diners. The giant posters of commercial beer bottles on some walls aren't, however. Let's just say décor is not this restaurant's forte.

Hector's Miramar may be known for its seafood. But in several of the fish dishes I sampled, I found the cod to be watery, in the case of the ceviche, and tasteless, in the case of the fish tacos, as well as the shrimp and octopus in an appetizer cocktail. With all the fresh fish that's available now in Utah, there's no excuse for using frozen.

Instead, diners would do better to stick with dishes such as the enchiladas and chicken quesadilla, which come with great-tasting refried beans. Beans and rice accompany nearly every dish.

At Sandy's Mi Ranchito Grill, you're better off steering clear of Mexican standards such as the chiles rellenos, quesadilla and enchiladas. Instead, turn to dishes such as costillas de puerco (pork ribs), calabacitas a la Mexicana (squash Mexican-style), nopales a la Mexicana (diced paddle cactus) and soups such as caldo de res (meatball soup).

All of these dishes were offered at a Saturday buffet ($11.99 for adults, $3.99 for children). There's only one problem, which is a big one: The restaurant has stopped offering the weekend buffet. Mi Ranchito Grill is the only local Mexican restaurant I've ever heard of offering a buffet — complete with made-on-the-spot, steaming tortillas. Perhaps the restaurant could pare down its buffet offerings to not take such a loss or offer the buffet at one of its other locations in American Fork, Salt Lake City or Orem.

It's a shame, really, because my tastes have gone beyond burritos, enchiladas and quesadillas. Instead, I crave more traditional home-style Mexican cooking or cocina casera. And I'm sure others do, too.

Hhj

La Morena Café

Food • Hhj

Mood • Hhj

Service • Hhj

Noise • b

This bare-bones Mexican restaurant has been serving some of the best chiles rellenos and chile verde in the valley since 1995.

Location • 1458 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City; 801-322-2255

Hours • Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Children's menu • No

Prices • $

Reservations • No

Takeout • Yes

Wheelchair access • Yes

Outdoor dining • No

On-site parking • Yes

Credit cards • All major —

H

Hector's Miramar

Food • H

Mood • H

Service • HH

Noise • b

Glass-walled, individual dining rooms add to the kitsch of this so-called "seafood" restaurant. Better to stick with dishes such as the enchiladas and quesadillas as much of the fish is frozen. Flan dessert is a standout.

Location • 342 W. 1300 South, Salt Lake City; 801-484-5737

Hours • Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Children's menu • Yes

Prices $

Liquor • Beer

Reservations • None

Takeout • Yes

Wheelchair access • Yes

Outdoor dining • Yes

On-site parking • Yes

Credit cards • All major —

H

Mi Ranchito Grill

Food • H

Mood • Hhj

Service • Hhj

Noise • b

One of the best things about this restaurant was its weekend buffet, with dishes such as costillas de puerco (pork ribs), caldo de res (meatball soup) and tortillas made to order, but it's recently been discontinued. What's a diner hankering for cocina casera — home-style cooking — to do?

Location • 9550 S. State St., Sandy; 801-233-0571

Hours • Daily, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Children's menu • Yes

Prices • $$

Liquor • Full bar

Corkage • No

Reservations • Accepted

Takeout • Yes

Wheelchair access • Yes

Outdoor dining • No

On-site parking • Yes

Credit cards • All major