Legislators trumpeting their grand compromise over updating Utah's liquor laws were particularly proud of the idea that the "Zion Curtain" - the glass partition in restaurants that divides alcohol preparation from the diners (like this one at the Stella Grill) - will soon be a thing of the past.

Not so fast, though. As I detail in today's Culture Vulture column (in the ink-and-print edition of The Salt Lake Tribune), the "Zion Curtain" isn't going away. It's growing up - and like any growing kid, it's getting its own room.

Under the proposed new law, new restaurants would have to remove alcohol preparation from the dining area entirely. A separate room for mixology would have to be included in the floor plans before a booze-serving restaurant could even be built. (Existing restaurants would be grandfathered in, but would have an incentive - $30,000 in credit at the state's liquor store - to retrofit in two years.)

The legislators are concerned that children in restaurants may see the drink mixing and get curious about the pretty-colored drinks. Alas, these legislators seem to think hiding stuff from children will make the kids less interested - when any parent will tell you the opposite is true.

(Photo: Steve Griffin/The Salt Lake Tribune)

Labels: alcohol, alcohol laws