Tex Mex cuisine at Utano

 So made our way out to Ngomokurira at the weekend. The US$4 (for locals – US$10 for visitors) entry fee allows you a safe place to park the car, access to the hill and rock paintings and hopefully a search party should you fail to return! There were a few weekend walkers and some local kids, putting us to shame at the speed they were sprinting up and down the huge granite rocks and enjoying themselves in the lovely clear rock pools.
Pretty and lush at this time of year, fields and gardens are flourishing and we came home with local produce – mangoes, cucumbers, lemons – also bought from kids earning pocket money around the parking lot.
It feels good to enjoy an afternoon outside – with a fresh breeze and a dramatic view of streak lightning and thunderstorms over the city.
The weekend kicked off early with Friday lunch at Utano (Bath Road, Avondale) which from its name (health) one would assume to be a health restaurant. There is no indication as to why its called Utano as in fact the food is Tex Mex, that cross border blend of Texan and Mexican which has spread around the world.
The garden is lovely – with what was once a swimming pool now converted into a natural pond lined with reeds and water plants, and a lush mixture of aloes, roses and greenery making the verandah a relaxed place to hang out. It was pretty quiet – just a couple of other tables occupied on a Friday lunch time – but restful and a good place for the intense conversation I was having with my companion.
She was expecting a more Mexican look – sombreros perhaps, and bright colours and the Chinese writing on the menu cover puzzled us. 
A cocktail menu featured margaritas and strawberry mojitos – but at lunch time I chose a non alcoholic Utano quencher (US$3) – a refreshing mixture of juices.
It’s a simple menu – divided into breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner – and we obediently at lunch time opted for the lunch menu.  
Beef fajitas for my friend – sliced beef inside rolled tortillas served with spicy beans, rice and salad (US$12) – and I went for the beef burritos (also US$12) – spicy mince wrapped in tortillas. Both dishes looked similar except she didn’t get a dollop of sour cream on hers. She proclaimed the beef a bit dry and overcooked but liked the flavours. The food was tasty and nicely presented with sauces in shot glasses – but why tomato sauce? – and where was the guacamole? Doesn’t seem much excuse to have such an essential part of the tex mex plate only offered ‘when available’. Surely avocados are perpetually in season. I also missed green coriander another quintessential taste and easy enough to grow in such a spacious garden.
On a visit to Mexico years ago I loved watching the village grannies make corn tortillas. Maize is first soaked in limewater and then ground before being made into a paste with water and cooked over an open fire on a flat griddle. And they were delicious. We ate flour Tortillas – also nice  – but maize ones would be interesting. 
Our meals were tasty and there was a good kick to the spicy beans and rice. Breakfasts look worth trying but dinner dishes (from US$15 to US$17) honestly don’t look that exciting. A little effort would really raise this restaurant and take full advantage of its lovely setting and chill out atmosphere.

– g.jeke@yahoo.com