Momservation: When you lead with Bacon Candy, how can you go wrong?
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One of the great perks of my job as a writer is people want me to try their stuff in hopes I’ll write about it. Fun stuff. Cool stuff. Yummy stuff.
Yummy stuff is my favorite.
So when Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar invited me to their debut in the Sacramento area they had me at Bacon Candy and Apple Huckleberry Open Face Pie.
This family-run upscale casual dining restaurant did indeed deliver.
Inspired by owner Chris Simms’ skiing experiences in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the elegantly rustic restaurant wants you to feel like you just stepped into the Four Seasons after a day of skiing ready to eat. Says Simms: “Just like the lodge in Jackson Hole, the Lazy Dog offers the perfect environment for all ages, making the entire restaurant the place to be for a quick dinner with the family, a meandering meal with friends or a night out on the town.”
I’d say the Simms family nailed it not just with the cozy and festive ambiance but the “scratch kitchen” food as well. From the huge wood burning fireplace on the patio that allows dogs (with their own menu!) to chef Gabe Caliendo’s delicious farm-to-fork inspired dishes, Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar has just opened two locations in Sacramento I can’t wait to visit again. (Folsom, 300 Palladio Pkwy and Roseville, 238 Gibson Dr.)
There were a lot of things that impressed me about the dining experience at the Lazy Dog I visited next to the Roseville Galleria.
First, nearly EVERYTHING on the menu is made in house—and it’s quite a varied menu with global comfort food dishes that include Asian, Italian and American flavors. From the plum sauce on the Wok-Fired Calamari, to the BBQ sauce on the BBQ Chicken Crisp and the gravy on the BBQ Bison Meatloaf, to the vanilla bean ice cream on the Apple Huckleberry Open Face Pie and caramel sauce on the seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake, you could taste the extra love and freshness from the scratch kitchen.
Says Simms on choosing to make most everything in house (including drinks like non-alcoholic Ginger Beer and their signature Maple Bacon Old Fashioned and sangria), “We really feel that is the future of casual dining because the guests can taste the difference.”
And you can. Though Lazy Dog is a chain with 26 locations, there is no doubt that each kitchen is serving up its region’s freshest ingredients. With the way the beautiful red drop peppers on the BBQ Chicken Crisp popped in my mouth with sweet freshness and the crisp crunch of the pearl onions with the Bison Meatloaf, I was delighted to taste Lazy Dog serving up the best of Sacramento.
The other great thing about the menu at Lazy Dog is the marriage between adventurous dining (Roasted Street Carrots and Buffalo Cauliflower) and kid-friendly fare (All-American Burger and Three-Cheese Pizza). General Manager, Joe Ramirez, assured me Lazy Dog was a place for my whole family. “We have a Teen Menu with things like Build Your Own Pizza and Chicken Teriyaki and a Kids Menu with Hand-Breaded Nuggets and Build Your Own Sundae.” They also had an extensive gluten-free menu and vegetarian options.
Finally, I liked that it has three distinct dining areas in one: The festive bar area for a livelier evening, a family dining area with acoustics for table conversations, and the après ski inspired patio area with fire pit for year-round outdoor dining.
Overall, the food, atmosphere, value and service (loved my knowledgeable, friendly waitress, Brie) made me eager to go back to Lazy Dog with family and friends (and my dog!). Check LazyDogRestaurants.com for locations near you for your latest great dining experience.
#LazyDogEatDrink #DeliciousDining #FunDining #ScratchKitchen