Lazy Dog Cafe – Nothing Lazy about it!

Recently, I was invited by  Frank Groff, Inc. to attend the pre grand opening party of the newest Lazy Dog Cafe in Cerritos, Ca.  So, Saturday night  my husband and I drove up to Cerritos for our first visit to The Lazy Dog Cafe.

It won’t be our last.

If you aren’t familiar with The Lazy Dog Cafe, it is the brainchild of Chris Sims, who along with his father Thomas Sims (founder of  Mimi’s Cafe) opened their first Lazy Dog Cafe  in Huntington Beach in 2003. The concept was to create a restaurant that offered upscale fare for adults but was also suitable for children in an environment reminiscent of Jackson Hole, Wyoming where Sims spent his summers  growing up.  An environment  that was not only warm and inviting but filled with fun and positive energy.

The restaurant’s decor features generous use of  Lodgepole pine, ledge stone and iron fixtures (think Frank Lloyd Wright meets Ralph Lauren). In keeping with Sims desire to create an environment that not only appeals to adults but to children, the restaurant is filled with whimsical details as well, making it the perfect place to unwind after work or to take the kids out for a relaxing family meal.

Executive Chef Gabriel Caliendo has taken standard American dishes and infused with them with  touches of Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean and South American cuisine , creating an eclectic and exciting menu with wide appeal. The children’s menu is, hands down, the best one I have ever seen. In addition to the standard choices of spaghetti, burgers, mac and cheese and pizza the menu also includes starters like steamed edamami and tofu as well as sides of confetti vegetables, carrots with ranch, zucchini fries and fresh fruit and with a price range  between $4.95 and $5.95.

For our dinner, we started off with Maggie’s Snake River Salad – a combination of greens, hickory smoked bacon, Laura Chenel goat cheese, dried cranberries and candied walnuts. It was delicious  – perfectly balanced and not overly dressed.

Next up was an order of their Grilled Garlic Flatbread – light, garlicky and darn right addictive!!!

I ordered  the Crispy Mexican Pizza – a crispy flour tortilla topped with black been sauce, shredded beef, cheese, tomatoes, onions, cilantro and salsa and Tapatio crema.  All the flavors I love without the heaviness of a thick pizza dough!!

The “hubs” had the Cast iron Idaho Trout – sustainably raised fresh Idaho trout baked in a cast iron skillet with baby potatoes and vegetables and topped with a Citrus Brown Butter Sauce. This is one of the best fish dishes we have had in a restaurant in quite a while – and that includes more expensive restaurants . (And yes, of course I stole some – we are talking fish here!!)

Despite the fact that we were bursting at the seams, we felt we “should” order dessert – a vanilla ice cream sundae with bananas, chocolate and raspberry sauce which came in – what else? A classic ceramic dog dish !!!

I think what struck me most about this restaurant was the consistent attention to detail on every level. The website, the staff, the decor and the menu have all been meticulously thought out and beautifully executed.

The motto of the The Lazy Dog Cafe is “Sit, Stay and Play” and I can’t wait to go back… and do just that!

Check out these other reviews of Lazy Dog Cafe from some of my favorite bloggers!

She’s Cookin’- In the Dog House

Created by Diane - Today was  Lazy Dog Day

Tagged as: food, Lazy Dog Cafe, restaurants