Firestone Walker Brews Lazy Dog Anniversary Belgian Blonde Ale
Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, a leader in upscale casual dining heralded for its innovative scratch cooking and extensive beverage program, is partying like it’s 2003 for their 10th Anniversary this summer. On July 4th, the family-run restaurant will unveil “Throwback” menu items that pay tribute to the original menu at its first location in the Huntington Beach area, including a spicy “Naughty Maggie” margarita and other dishes that were ahead of their time when the restaurant opened. The menu offerings will be joined by a special Firestone collaboration ale on tap, and will be available at all Lazy Dog restaurants through September 12th.
Inspired by the relaxed lifestyle of the Rocky Mountains where Founder Chris Simms and his family spend part of every year, Simms opened Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar (originally called Lazy Dog Café) in August 2003 with aspirations to create a neighborhood restaurant that was family-friendly yet still boasted a compelling menu and a serious bar program – a place where parents could bring the kids, but still get a really great craft beer and hand-crafted burger. Locals immediately gravitated to the community-oriented restaurant as a spot to gather with friends and family, not to mention their pooches. Ten years later, Lazy Dog is still focused on creating that small town feel at each of their twelve restaurants throughout Southern California.
“It’s hard to believe that it’s already been ten years since we first opened,” Says Simms. “The heart behind Lazy Dog still remains the same, but we’ve grown so much since those early days, expanding our craft beer program and evolving the menu. For our 10th anniversary we wanted to honor both our past and our present with classic items that reflect our roots, but also highlight that evolution as well.”
Simms and Lazy Dog Executive Chef Gabriel “Gabe” Caliendo, an avid home brewer, originally met over a craft beer that Chef Gabe had brewed, and it was during that conversation that the core principles behind the restaurant’s bar program were established. Those key tenets are commemorated through the Lazy Dog Anniversary Belgian Blonde Ale, a crisp summer brew based on a recipe Chef Gabe developed and created in conjunction with Firestone Master Brewer Matthew Brynildson.
“Because craft beer has been at the center of our beverage program at Lazy Dog since our founding, we wanted to do something really unique for the 10th anniversary that celebrates our passion for locally brewed beer,” says Chef Gabe Caliendo. “We worked closely with Firestone to create a crisp Belgian blond that is perfect for the summer season.”
The beer will be joined by “throwback” specials inspired by Lazy Dog’s original menu. Old guard, classic Americana “Scrappy Snacks” feature mini cheese dogs topped with housemade chili con carne, shredded jack and cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions, and mustard; while Hawaiian Sticky Ribs, a favorite appetizer back in the day, are reconceptualized with the addition of addictive umami fries and refreshing Asian slaw. Rounding out the specials is the Naughty Maggie Margarita, an old school margarita with a kick that Simms’ mother, Maggie Simms, discovered in Jackson Hole during one of their family vacations. The margarita features fresh strawberries, jalapeños, housemade sweet & sour, triple sec and Sauza tequila, topped off with a red chili and black sea salt rim.
The 10th anniversary specials will be available at all locations of Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, including Brea, Cerritos, Huntington Beach/Westminster, Irvine, Orange, Rancho Cucamonga, San Diego, Temecula, Thousand Oaks, Torrance, Valencia/Santa Clarita, and West Covina, from July 4th through September 12th.
ABOUT LAZY DOG RESTAURANT & BAR
Inspired by the lifestyle of the Rocky Mountains, where founder Chris Simms spent many family vacations, Lazy Dog offers the perfect environment for a quick week-night dinner, a meandering meal with old friends or a big night out. The first Lazy Dog restaurant opened in the Huntington Beach area in 2003 and showcased an eclectic menu of memorable family favorites reinterpreted with bold new flavors and served with small-town hospitality. Open for lunch and dinner daily with a full bar program that includes unique and approachable specialty cocktails, a wide selection of craft beers, and Lazy Dog’s own hand-crafted beer selection, Lazy Dog is also a perfect happy hour or game day destination. Lazy Dog currently has twelve locations throughout Southern California – with more on the way. For more information visit www.lazydogrestaurants.com.
