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Chomp! Green Iguana Grill does not serve iguana
[November 28, 2012]

Chomp! Green Iguana Grill does not serve iguana


Nov 28, 2012 (Victoria Advocate - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- There is a place in Port Lavaca where a phone booth still stands and two pet iguanas watch the dining area.

OK, so the iguanas are fake and the phone doesn't work anymore, but the Green Iguana wouldn't be complete without them. During a visit to Port Lavaca for an assignment, Kat and I popped into the green building for a bite to eat. I had driven by the restaurant on other occasions and always wondered what the inside looked like. There are a few windows in the front of the building, and outside on the sidewalk are green footprints -- which I presume were by a large iguana or someone with a stamp or paintbrush and green paint. It piqued my interest.



Once you step inside, the black-and-white tiled floor made me feel like I had stepped back in time and made me giddy about what we prepared to indulge in. That sort of decor makes me think of the kind of diners where the servers call you "hun" and never write down your order, even if there are seven people squeezed into a booth.

We took a seat near the front and were instantly occupied by all the stuff on the walls. There were license plates from across the country, vintage posters and autographed photos.


The menu was small, but had something for everyone. There were "leafy greens," "tongue teasers," "iguana grillers" and "baby iguana food." It was lunch, and I was feeling like something more substantial than a salad. So, I opted for an iguana burger. Don't worry it reads "1/3 lb. of 100 percent beef," in case you were worried about it.

Both of us ordered the iguana burger, which came with Swiss cheese, mushrooms and sauteed onions and a side of potato chips.

While we waited for our meal, we looked around the restaurant, snapping photos of the cool things they had on display.

If you have kids or a friend with a short attention span, this place would be perfect.

Our plates arrived -- Kat's without mushrooms and mine all the way -- along with a strong whiff of the grill.

The smell brought me back to backyard cookouts. With each bite, you could taste the smokiness in the patty.

In the end, it was too much burger for me, but I brought it back to the office to eat later.

Next time, we will find a couple of seats at the bar.

___ (c)2012 Victoria Advocate (Victoria, Texas) Visit Victoria Advocate (Victoria, Texas) at www.victoriaadvocate.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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