The Fire Hydrant Tap at Lazy Dog Cafe, Torrance

Lazy Dog calls their afternoon discount session “Happiest Hour“. Sipping on the beer and cocktails, and nomming on the food during that time, I find it hard to disagree. You’ll find these discounts on weekdays from 3 to 6 PM. For dogs that like to party late, an evening session takes place Sunday through Thursday from 9 PM until closing time. Happy hour specials are only available in the bar area and on the patio.

Earlier this month, I shared some of the beverage offerings on Lazy Dog’s new happy hour menu. Today we’re taking a look at the happy hour food!

A Mini Food Festival of Happy Hour Appetizers.

Happy hour versions of their appetizers are attractively priced between $3 and $6. I say “versions” because the happy hour portion is about half of the regular appetizer. It’s all the better though, because at that price a few small plates make for a mini food festival of delicious samples.

• Spicy Buffalo Chicken Nuggets ($4): These bite-sized gems of yard bird are fried and dipped in a deep, almost glowing red sauce. The spiciness comes through but is not over bearing. If you find yourself reaching to fan your lips, though, don’t worry; they’re served on a bed of cool, crispy cole slaw made with buttermilk and blue cheese.

Buffalo chicken nuggets on a bed of creamy cole slaw.

• Loaded Baked Potato Hush Puppies ($3): This cousin to the dough-balls that they get their name from are like baked potatoes in a crispy shell. These filling little orbs are creamy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. For a beer pairing, ask for a big glass of Firestone Velvet Merlin to sip on while you hush these puppies.

Loaded Baked Potato Hush Puppies.

• Hawaiian Ahi Poke ($4): Just what you would expect and a little bit more: a crispy wonton topped with moist, well seasoned tuna, drizzled with a creamy sauce. Sesame seeds and green onions rounds out the flavors and add a finishing touch.

Ahi Poke gets cozy, nestled on a crispy wonton.

• Sweet Potato Tater Tots ($4): Crispy tater tots with a combination of sweet and savory. The sweet comes from the sweet potato base while the savory comes from a cumin flavor that sneaks in and adds a pleasant surprise of flavor. The result is a bar-food treat that will have you reaching back for another handful. Served with a mildly spicy jalapeño aioli.

• Carrot Cake at Lazy Dog Cafe ($4.95): Have you ever wanted to finish up a happy hour with something sweet but are still in a happy hour price state of mind? OK, so this one isn’t on the happy hour menu but the price fits the bill. This dessert is a moist, dense cake served in a cute little skillet and comes packing plenty for two people for share. The shredded carrots and walnuts on top will give you backing to tell your mom that you ate your veggies. Don’t tell her about the Stone Porter though, that pairs perfectly with this cake.

The Carrot Cake isn't on the happy hour menu, but the price might make you spring for it anyway.

Stone Porter pairs nicely with the carrot cake.

Late Comers Get a Deal All Their Own

If the prospect of getting to happy hour by 6 PM doesn’t work with your schedule on the vampire shift, don’t worry; Lazy Dog is serving the same deals happy hour from 9 PM to close Sunday through Thursday.

Along with the same deals mentioned above, lazy dogs get a deal all their own in the form of the Late Night Burger, a quarter pound fixing for $5 only served after 9PM.

Better late than never! Late Comers can get the big burger for Happy Hour.

• Lazy Dog Café, Del Amo Fashion Center
  http://www.lazydogcafe.com
  3525 West Carson Street
  Torrance CA 90503
  (310) 921-6080

* Prices and menu items are subject to change without notice. Some items mentioned in this article were provided on a complimentary basis for the purpose of this review. This story was accurate when it was published and reflects the uninfluenced opinions of the reviewers.

Happy Hour Menu at Lazy Dog Cafe, Torrance

Known as Happiest Hour, Lazy Dog’s menu specials start at 3 PM Monday through Friday. Sunday through Thursday the party starts at 9 PM and goes until closing time. Happy hour specials are only available in the bar area and on the patio. While there’s plenty of room at the bar and on the heated patio, come early for the best seat selections if you’d like a view of the game on one of the TV’s mounted over the bar. Oh, and come thirsty!

• Sangria Sampler ($8.25): This one is a heck of an idea and a great deal for indecisive sangria lovers. Packaged in cute little mason jars, the sampler features three four-ounce pours of Pomegranate Red, Black Currant Rose, and White Peach sangrias. The rack even has tags to help you keep the different flavors sorted out. If you’re using the wine tasting method to go from the sweetest to the boldest of the bunch, I’d suggest starting with the peach, rounding the bend with the black currant, and finishing up with the pomegranate.
  

Sangria Sampler: Don't settle for one, try all three!

• Cucumber Martini ($6): This heady concoction was a crowd pleaser among the South Bay Foodies enlisted to give it a taste (thanks, Margaret!). The beverage combines Rain Organics Cucumber Lime Vodka, fresh cucumbers and mint, agave syrup, and a dash of sweet and sour. Martini purists might frown on the last two ingredients but a sip or two will have them changing their minds quickly. The layers of flavors in this cocktail give it a sophistication that will make you wonder why you aren’t wearing a tux or an evening gown…well, unless, you just roll like that.
  

The Well Appointed Cucumber Martini.

• Seasonal Mason Jar: This cocktail is served in a do-it-your-self shaker. In a full-sized jar, Veev acai spirits are mixed with seasonal ingredients – in our case it was basil, lemon, and cucumber – and shaken with ice until chilled. The result for this blend was an instant recollection of lazy summer days spent sipping lemonade. This cocktail changes with the seasons so options may differ. At the time we were sampling the basil-lemonade, a cranberry-limeade was in the works for winter featuring Veev, cranberry, lime, mint, and agave. I’ll be back for that one!

Seasonal Mason Jar Festuring Basil Lemonade with Vee Acai Spirits.

• The Craft Beer Sampler ($6): Fear not, beer lovers! Lazy Dog hasn’t forgotten about you. They’re still featuring their beer sampler that gives you four-ounce pours from six of the fifteen or more craft beers they have on tap. The only thing that makes this deal difficult is figuring out which beers to pick! I say bring along a friend, order up 12 different beers and have a mini-beer fest.
  

Craft Beer Sampler: Which ones will you choose!?

With a nice selection of cocktails and beers to choose from, it only makes sense to have an equally balance selection of happy hour eats as well. Stay tuned for a review of the grub that we paired with the drinks!

* Prices and menu items are subject to change without notice. Some items mentioned in this article were provided on a complimentary basis for the purpose of this review. This story was accurate when it was published and reflects the uninfluenced opinions of the reviewers.

Two levels of all you can eat holiday specials at Gyu Kaku Torrance including unlimited Champagne and Sake.

The Yume package ($19.95/person) gets you the unlimited champagne, hot or cold sake, and an AYCE selection from 13 items on the menu include kalbi chuck, spicy pork, soup, salad, and veggies.

For the high rollers, the Prime package ($39.95/person) gets everything from the Yume but also adds Kobe beef, filet mignon, shrimp, miso butterfish and more.

Just remember, Gyu Kaku BBQ is table-top-cooking. You order the meats and veggies, they bring them to your table, and you cook them to your liking. It’s a fun, interactive experience. Oh, and no dishes to wash!

• AYCE Holiday Specials at Gyu Kaku Japanese BBQ, Torrance, December 24 and 25
  http://www.gyu-kaku.com
  24631 Crenshaw Blvd.
  Torrance, CA 90505

From the time we arrived to the moment we finished our lunch, the kids had been eager to get to the bakery counter and pick something for dessert. I wouldn’t be surprised if having you walk by their cakes, pies, and pastries as you get seated for your meal is a part of the business plan for the restaurant!

When our server, Lani – who was fabulous, by the way; ask for her if you go! – asked us if we were ready for dessert, there was no hesitation. The resounding cry was “YES!”

A dizzying display of cakes, pies, and pastries had the kids mesmerized like, well, kids in a bakery store.

She first presented us with the dessert tray but the kids didn’t seem impressed. They wanted something out of the case up front. Lani escorted us over and the kids picked out a cupcake, a donut, and a few chocolate covered strawberries. My opinion of their choices? Lame!

I’m sure the cupcake, donut, and chocolate covered strawberries were delicious, but I wasn’t about to settle for everyday fare when there were classic Hawaiian desserts to be had.

Macadamia Nut Cream Pie. The recipe calls for nuts, cream, and more nuts. That's my kind of pie.

I couldn’t resist the creamy, nutty Macadamia Nut Cream Pie and picked that right away. From the menu, this pie is “Bavarian cream with macadamia nuts topped with whipped cream and macadamia nuts.” You can see how my choice was an easy one.

• King’s Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant
  http://www.kingshawaiianrestaurants.com
  2808 W. Sepulveda Blvd., Torrance CA, 90505
  310-530-0050

* Some items mentioned in this article were provided on a complimentary basis for the purpose of this review. This story was accurate when it was published. Prices and menu items are subject to change without notice.

A view of the King's Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant from Sepulveda Blvd.

More than Just Bread

While most folks know the King’s name from their Hawaiian sweet rolls, South Bay locals are fortunate to enjoy their many other fresh baked goods and Hawaiian cooking at the main restaurant on Sepulveda and the fast casual Local Place on Western Avenue. Regulars and real fans know that King’s offers so much more than sweet rolls. From loco moco to spam musubi, King’s does Hawaiian food extremely well.

Recently, King’s introduced a new menu for their Sepulveda restaurant called the Hawaiian Connection Menu. With so many cultures present in the Hawaiian population, this new menu reflects the new foods and flavors that are becoming staples in Hawaiian cuisine.

I was invited* to try out a few items from the connections menu and took along my daughters and one of their friends to help me out. I figured their appetites would help me get through a few of the five new dishes on the Connection Menu. Following is a review of some of the new items as well as a few classics.

Getting Settled In

I’ve always been pleased with the service at King’s and this visit was no exception. Like most weekend afternoons, the waiting area – which also contains the bakery counter – was bustling with people waiting for their tables and folks buying rolls and cakes. Unfazed, the attentive staff handled the crowd with ease and composure. It was also a treat to see the managers serving customers right along with the waiters.

Once we got to our table, the girls settled in right away with crayons and started coloring their placemats. We put our orders in and they explored the huge fish tank in the dining room. The only things that could get them back to the table was the arrival of their order – they all decided to have beef teriyaki from the kids menu – and a basket of the signature Hawaiian sweet rolls.

My partners for this mission. They were more into coloring the menu than reviewing it!

The kids were excited to watch the fish swimming in the huge salt water tank. Small groups might enjoy sitting at the table around the tank.

A meal at King's Hawaiian is not complete without at least one -- or five -- of their world famous sweet rolls.

Sampling the Hawaiian Connection Menu

With the kids nomming away on their teriyaki, I dished out our first taste from the Connection Menu, the Coconut Shrimp Skewers ($12.95). Usually served
as an entrée, the portion is big enough to satisfy one person and for us was plenty to share. The panko and coconut coated shrimp were crackly, crunchy on the outside and tender at the same time. The sauce accompanying the dish was a perfect blend of tangy and mild sweetness and went great with the shrimp.

Coconut Shrimp: Skewers with plump shrimp coated in panko crumbs and coconut flakes. The dipping sauces seal the deal on this dish being delicious.

Next up was the crowd pleasing Hawaiian Seafood Soup ($14.95). This was a beautiful, fragrant dish of “udon noodles, fish, shrimp, clams, mussels, dashi, and island seasonings.” The kids didn’t get into the clams and mussels as much as I did, but they loved the broth and noodles. Again, the portion provided plenty to share. Even with the four of us each having a small bowl or two, there was still some left to take home. The seafood soup was definitely a favorite among all of us.

The Hawaiian Seafood Soup was a hit with everyone. The savoriness of the broth was the perfect complement to the medley of flavors. The Cilantro on top added a nice brightness to everything.

In case you didn't get enough, here's another view of the delicious seafood soup.

For my entrée, I picked the Miso Salmon ($14.45). The dish was a tender piece of salmon, marinated in a miso sauce that is “a unique King’s Hawaiian blend.” It came with steamed rice and steamed baby bok choy. The miso flavor was present throughout but didn’t overpower the flavor of the fish.

The Miso Salmon from the Hawaiian Connection Menu.

Hawaiian Connection Menu, a Well Received Addition

On the way out, I spoke with Dennis, the General Manager, and asked about the new menu items and how they were doing. He let me know they were being well received by regulars and new comers alike. Both groups seemed to enjoy trying something new. In particular, he said, the seafood soup was a big hit.

King’s Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7 AM until 10 PM, 11 PM on Friday and Saturday. Breakfast is served until 2 PM with some items served all day. Visit their website for menu details and more.

• King’s Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant
  http://www.kingshawaiianrestaurants.com
  2808 W. Sepulveda Blvd., Torrance CA, 90505
  310-530-0050

* Some items mentioned in this article were provided on a complimentary basis for the purpose of this review.  This story was accurate when it was published. Prices and menu items are subject to change without notice.

Bark for a cure at Lazy Dog Cafe.

Here’s how you can participate in this fundraiser which is being held during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

1. Print out the PDF flyer at this link and take it with you to any Lazy Dog Café location on Tuesday, October 18 between 5 and 9 PM. This includes Happy Hour from 5 – 6 PM!
2. Enjoy any of their cuisine including beverages, appetizers, and entrees and show the flyer to your server.
3. 15% of your total bill will be donated in support of cancer research.

How easy is that!? Not only will you be enjoying some good chow and craft beers, you’ll be eating and drinking for a cause.

• Lazy Dog Café Torrance at Del Amo Fashion Center
  http://www.lazydogcafe.com
  3525 West Carson Street, Torrance CA 90503 (Map)

After 8 Years at Del Amo Mall, Pat & Oscars Closes the Only LA COunty Location of their Restaurant Chain.

The announcement was made on the evening of August 15 in an email addressed to members of their Breadstick eClub.  The email was titled “Important Notice from Pat & Oscar’s Torrance”.

As a member of the Breadstick eClub – and a patron of Pat & Oscars – I can say that they will be missed.  P&O was a popular destination for me and my daughter, mainly to get our hands on their hot, buttery, garlicky, breadsticks.

With the Del Amo location closed, P&O fans in LA County will have to make the drive to one of the other stores in the Inland Empire, Orange County, or San Diego County.

After having been spoiled by having them right down the street for all this time, making the trek to get my breadstick fix is going to seem like a pilgrimage.

Goodbye, Del Amo Pat & Oscars!

As a participant in the Foodbuzz Tastemakers Program, I partnered with Frigidaire to explore one of our local markets.  My trip was part of Frigidaire’s Favorite Farmers Market Program.  Through this program, Frigidaire is donating $1 to Save the Children for every Gowalla check-in at a local farmers market.  You may already know that Save the Children is one of the charities that I support so I was excited to help out with this fund-raising effort.

Of all the markets to choose from, which one did I pick?  Oh, just one of the largest, busiest, most well organized markets in all of Southern California — which also happens to be minutes from my house — The Torrance Certified Farmers Market.  Let’s take a look!

The Official Apron of the Torrance Farmers Market.

For my family, visiting the Torrance Farmers Market is a tradition.  Every Saturday morning, we get up bright and early for a walk or bike ride around Wilson Park, right next to the market.  After we get a bit of exercise, we stroll over to the market for lunch and shopping.

We start our visit on the east end of the market at the food court.  Yes, the market has a food court!  All kinds of hot, prepared foods can be found there including tacos and burritos, barbecue, Hawaiian food, and more.  We also quench our thirsts with aguas frescas — sweet, icy cold beverages made from watermelon, strawberries, and fresh squeezed lemons.

The Food Court at the East End of the Torrance Farmers Market.

Two of our favorite spots for food are Big Mista’s Barbecue and Frontier Kettle Korn.  The barbecue is finger licking good (“Real. Good. Meat.” as Big Mista would say) and the kettle korn is down-right addictive.  But not only is the food good, the people behind the food are good too.  Neil aka “Big  Mista” and Eric, the Kettle Korn guy, are folks we look forward to seeing and chatting with when we shop the market.

Checking Out "Real. Good. Meat." at Big Mistas Barbecue in the Market.

We Can't Visit the Market Without Getting At Least One Really Big Bag Of Kettle Korn.

After getting our fill in the food court, we leisurely stroll the aisles of the market.  Sometimes its hard to make our way through because its such a popular place.  Families from all over Torrance and the South Bay come to the market to take home fresh fruits and veggies or to just enjoy the ambiance of the hustle and bustle.

As you would expect, the selection of fruits and vegetables changes with the season.  We were shopping for berries on this visit and were in luck.  All of the berries were at the peak of plump, sweet, juicy ripeness. We were also looking for tomatoes; summer tomatoes are the best.

Sweet, Juicy Straeberries Lined and Ready to Go!

Each week we also shop for fresh flowers to decorate our home.  With most bouquets selling for $5 to $6 dollars, we can get enough flowers to fill our house with bright, professional looking flower displays without breaking the bank.

Just like the fruits and vegetables, a wide variety of flowers area available in the market.

But fruits, veggies, and flowers aren’t the only things Torrance Farmers Market as to offer.  There’s so much more!

Vendors also come to sell meats, seafood, honey, cheeses, and other artisan foods. The freshly baked breads are pretty good too!

Beef. Its what's for dinner!

Bake a bag of bagels. Say that fast five times!

The market organizers also make sure there is plenty of entertainment including musicians and performance artists.  I was happy to come across this lady’s booth where she was making Thai fruit and vegetable carvings.  Everything on her table was delicately carved…and also edible!

Amazing centerpieces are created by the Thai style fruit and vegetable carver at the market.

Along with the entertainers, you can also find politicians and activists.  They exercise their right to free speech and share their platforms with the market shoppers passing by.  On this particular day, a group of women was on hand airing out their um, laundry, to raise awareness for breast cancer research.

Breast cancer activists raise awareness for breast cancer research.

Did I mention the people?  Visiting the market week after week, we get to know the vendors and have fun with them.  They really are a great group of folks.  Interacting with them really makes me feel like I’m building our community and helping out the local economy.

I have to give credit to Nicole, the voice behind What Skinny People Do, for dragging me and the kids out of bed every Saturday morning to walk around the park and shop the Torrance Farmers Market.  We get a nice helping of exercise; a fresh, filling lunch; flowers to decorate our home; and plenty of ripe fruits and vegetables to cook later on.  Sounds like a great recipe for tradition to me!

Start building your own tradition by visiting your local farmers market!  Check out this list of local markets to find one near you.  Don’t forget to support Frigidaire’s drive for Save the Children; once you get to your local market, check in with Gowalla. And if you visit any of the Torrance Farmers Market Vendors I mentioned here, tell them Michael from South Bay Foodies sent you!

Nicole heading home with her flowers from the farmers market.

As is often the case in Southern California, there are plenty of events to choose from on this sunny, spring weekend.  Here are a few of the events we’re buzzing about.  Hopefully I’ll see you at one or all of them.  Sunday is going to be a busy day!

Chefs Get Cooking at LA Times Festival of Books

A host of celebrity chefs and cook book authors including Graham Kerr will be stirring things up this Saturday and Sunday at the LA Times Festival of Books.  The folks at LA Weekly give a great description of the line up so I’m referring you to them!

http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2011/04/the_la_times_festival_of_books.php

LA Times Festival of Books
Saturday April 30, 2011 from 10am – 6pm
Sunday, May 1, 2011 from 10am – 5pm

The 2nd Annual Old Town Torrance Block Party

Second time around!  With Music, Craft Beer Garden, Food, Craft Booths, Kid’s Alley Fun Zone and more.  For all the details, follow this link Old Town Torrance Block Party (PDF).  For the beer deatils, read on!

This picture has me hoping there will be a flash mob during the event!

The Craft Brew Garden at this event will feature over 15 breweries as well as music by DJ Ozzie. Breweries scheduled to attend include BJs Brewery, Crispin Cider, Firestone Walker Brewery, Fox Barrel Cider, Lazy Dog Cafe, New Belgium Brewing, North Coast Brewing Company, Red Car Brewery, Rock Bottom Brewery, San Pedro Brewing Company, Simmzys Pub, Skyscraper Stone Brewery, Strand Brewery, Whole FoodsTorrance / Indian Wells Brewing Company. Entry into the brew garden is $25 for beer sampling for adults 21 and over. For $10, designated drivers can gain access to the Craft Brew Garden and receive unlimited sodas and water.

Attendees are encouraged to park in the Torrance Courthouse parking lot located on Maple Avenue at Torrance Blvd. A bus will shuttle guests to and from the parking lot to the Block Party, every 15 minutes. Parking and shuttle service are free.

2nd Annual Old Torrance Block Party
Sunday, May 1st
10:00am – 6:00pm
www.torranceblockparty.org
www.facebook.com/torranceblockparty
www.twitter.com/Torblockparty

The 26th Annual For Our Children Food & Wine Festival Presented by Honda

Honda presents the 26th Annual For Our Children Food & Wine Festival on Sunday, May 1, 2011 on the grounds of their Torrance headquarters of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Proceeds this year will benefit TrinityKids Care, a program of Providence TrinityCare Hospice Foundation and Sandpipers philanthropic programs.

Experience gourmet foods and fine wines from over 90 restaurants and wineries.  Silent and live auctions feature unique gift items, sports tickets and memorabilia, dining, entertainment and exciting travel packages.  Opportunity tickets for the all-new 2011 Honda CR-Z EX sport hybrid coupe donated by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. are available for $25 each or 5 for $100.

Sandpipers philanthropic programs provide critical scholarship funding for qualifying students for four continuous years of undergraduate study, as well as community outreach programs that supply ongoing emergency financial and in-kind assistance to children, adults and families at risk within the South Bay community.

General admission prices are $150 presale and $175 at the door.  For event information and tickets, visit www.4Rchildren.net, or call 310-316-2837.

26th Annual For Our Children Food & Wine Festival
Sunday, May 1, 2011

Olive Oil Tasting with Carol Firenze and Soroptimist International of Manhattan Beach

On Sunday, May 1st at 2pm the doors open to the South Bay’s first Olive Oil tasting featuring Carol Firenze, author of “The Passionate Olive – 101 Things to Do With Olive Oil.” Her book suggests uses other than just tasting!

The event will be held at The Ayres Hotel at 14400 Hindry Avenue, Hawthorne. Tickets are $60 and include the tastings, tapas lovingly prepared by Chefs Sherie and John DiBernardo and their staff of the Matisse Restaurant, and non-alcoholic beverages. A full bar is available. There will be a boutique for shopping and a fabulous gift box raffle.  See www.springtea-simb.com for more info. Proceeds of the event will benefit Soroptimist International of Manhattan Beach scholarships, Women’s Opportunity Award, Breast Cancer Comfort Bags and other projects to improve the lives of women and girls in our local community.

Olive Oil Tasting to benefit Soroptomists International
Sunday, May 1, 2 PM

Earlier this week The Grilled Cheese Truck, the popular gourmet sandwich shop on wheels, reported via Twitter that a scheduled stop in Torrance was being cancelled.  Followers to their Twitter feed were directed to Facebook for more details.

Grilled Cheese Truck Explains the Situation on Facebook.

Apparently the City of Torrance was requiring the mobile vendor to acquire a special event permit.  The short argument from Grilled Cheese?  The parking lot is private and they were invited by the owners of the property.

In the end, Grilled Cheese opted to cool their ovens and cancel the event.

Just over 100 Facebook fans voiced their disappointment with the situation by leaving comments.  Follow this link (to Facebook) to read the entire comment thread.

Responding positively to their sandwich-chasing constituents, the Grilled Cheese team looked forward stating, “We’re going to find out exactly what’s needed and do our best to make this work for everyone. Sometimes it’s just about T’s and I’s… We’ll cross and dot both of them and get to meltin…”.

Will we see Grilled Cheese Truck melting in Torrance soon? Stay tuned!