Westside Reader June 16

WR June 16_Layout 1 5/29/16 12:26 PM Page 27
June 2016 THE Reader • 27
a large variety of comfort food favorites.
The only words that can describe the heavenly
experience that is the wonderfully satisfying
Campfire Pot Roast are "comfort food
supreme." Served with mashed potatoes,
sautéed baby spinach and housemade Burgundy
wine sauce ($15.50), this is a meal
you'll return for time and again.
I also highly recommend the BBQ Baby
Back Pork Ribs. These are tender baby back
ribs grilled to order and brushed with a
sweet molasses BBQ sauce. The ribs are
served with mashed potatoes and chilled
sweet corn and black bean succotash salad
($21.95, smaller portion, $17.25).
Have I mentioned the soups and chili, salads,
desserts and starters yet?
You can't have an authentic Lazy Dog Café
experience without trying the starter trio of
hummus dips, a trio of walnut-pesto, sundried
tomato and traditional hummus served
with garlic flatbread, sliced cucumbers and
tomatoes ($9.25) or the restaurant's signature
"inside-out quesadilla" starter served
with cheddar and jack cheeses, guacamole,
sour cream and fresh salsa ($8.95).
Other starters I like include the Ahi Poke
with Sashimi grade Ahi Tuna tossed with
sesame peanut vinaigrette and green onions
served on crispy wontons with avocado,
wasabi dressing and a sesame seed garnish
($10.25) and the Brick Oven Spinach & Sundried
Tomato Cheese Dip, housemade with
jack, parmesan and Swiss cheeses, served
with hand-cut corn tortilla chips ($8.75).
Both exceeded my expectations for taste and
quantity.
The bar has numerous brands of beer on
tap and makes a fine, fine Mojito.
I also enjoy Lazy Dog's all natural lemonades
and sodas. My favorite is the Strawberry
Lemon-Caper Chicken ($11.75).
Citrus Soda ($3.25) which is a refreshing nonalcoholic
drink made with strawberries, fresh
squeezed lemon, orange and lime juices with
mint leaves and soda water.
Dessert
Don't leave without dessert. I adore the
Salted Caramel Crème Brulee ($5.25) This
version of the classic crème brulee is infused
with real vanilla bean and housemade sea
salt caramel. Other offerings include: Butter
Cake, homemade butter cake topped with a
minted strawberry compote and vanilla bean
ice cream, garnished with sweet balsamic
($5.95); White Chocolate Chip Brownie, this
signature brownie recipe features white
chocolate chips in a moist and rich chocolate
treat, served with chocolate fudge and vanilla
bean ice cream ($5.75); Cinnamon & Sugar
Pizza with pizza dough basted with cinnamon-sugar
butter and baked in a brick oven,
served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
($5.25); Berry Crumble with strawberries,
blueberries and rhubarb, topped with a
brown sugar and oat crumble, baked until
golden brown and served with a big scoop of
vanilla bean ice cream ($6.25); Root Beer
Float with vanilla bean ice cream handscooped
into a chilled mason jar and served
with a cold bottle of IBC Root Beer ($4.25)
and Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake is a seasonal
favorite made from scratch, topped
with fresh raspberries and housemade
whipped cream ($5.95).
So Much More
The menu is so extensive I was only able to
scratch the service (there is soup, salad, wokfired
entrees, small plates, "nutritious and de-
Lazy6: A decadent Grilled Cheese made with Cheddar,
Swiss, mozzarella and jack cheeses melted between
Parmesan sourdough ($9.50).
licious" and more). You need to check out the
menu for yourself, online at www.lazydogrestaurants.com/menu.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention at
least one salad on the extensive menu. Maggie's
Snake River salad is a sinful concoction
of hickory-smoked bacon, Laura Chenel goat
cheese, dried cranberries, tomatoes, candied
walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette ($9.75).
The Lazy Dog Happy Hour alone is worthy
of its own review!
Lazy Dog is the result of a family with three
generations of restaurant experience. I think
they may know what they're doing. It certainly
tastes like it.
"We focus on fresh ingredients," Simms
said. "We want every restaurant to have its
own identity. We take the food very seriously.
We don't want to be a ‘chain.'"
The restaurant's motto is "sit, stay and
play." I've taken it to heart and haven't been
disappointed (well, except for that Romaine
lettuce thing) and the parking, which is horrendous,
(but that's hardly the fault of Lazy
Dog). The decor and ambiance is dog-centric.
Dogs are welcome on the patio at Lazy Dog
and they have their own menu. You can ask
for a complimentary bowl of water or treat
your dog to their own "entree," either a
grilled hamburger patty and brown rice, or a
grilled chicken breast and brown rice ($4.95).
A bowl of just plain brown rice is $1.95. R
Lazy Dog Café, on the Patios at Westfield
Valencia Town Center, 24201 Valencia Blvd.,
Valencia CA 91355, 661-253-9996, www.lazydog
restaurants.com. Hours: Open seven days,
Sunday 10 a.m. -11 p.m., Monday through
Wednesday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Thursday and
Friday 11 a.m. - midnight and Saturday 10
a.m. - midnight.