Lazy Ox Canteen

Every Thursday (and sometimes Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday too), I read the Los Angeles Times food column for restaurant ideas.  I've rarely gotten the 'Oh My Gosh I Have to Go There' feeling from these reviews, however my mind seems to absorb most of the details (this only happens with regard to food, by the way), such that when I need a restaurant idea for a special occasion, I can pull from my gastro-database and remember reading something about some restaurant that was good for such an occasion.

This is precisely how we chose The Lazy Ox Canteen to celebrate a birthday with a small group of friends.  I'd remembered reading about a place that was popular amongst the "locals" for the eclectic, delicious food, a variety of craft brews and wonderful wines, and a cool gastro pub-like atmosphere...sounded perfect for us laid-back foodies.  A word to the wise, though, make reservations early, because the word has gotten out about this place, likely thanks to that LA Times review.  Three days advanced notice got us a table for six at 8:30pm, with a bit of a fiasco once we got there regarding the reservation and the seventh person that showed up with us.  But the staff was perfectly pleasant and accommodating.

The selection of craft beers is quite intriguing and the perfect place to start for a quick drink while you wait for a table.  I started with a St Louis framboise, a Belgian raspberry flavored beer, which I find quite easy to drink.  I think of it as a combination of fruity cocktail without the excessive sweetness, and a light and cool beer without the excessive bitterness.  The more 'manly' Belgian beers that I stole a few sips of are equally tasty and refreshing.  We opted for wine at the table, and our waiter was happy to recommend some off-list wine bottles...and recommend a really fantastic wine, he did!  He also brought us wonderful munchies to satisfy our rumbling tummies (830 is late for some of us!) in the form of homemade corn nuts spiced with cayenne, paprika, and lemon juice, which I couldn't stop eating, even when there was plated food in front of me.

The Lazy Ox food menu...the published menu that is...is somewhat limited.  But every day the chef pops out an assortment of 'specials' which are written in chalk on boards around the restaurant.  Picking up on the small plates trend, Lazy Ox begs you to order as much as possible off the chalkboard menu, simply by appealing to your 'dangerous' side, or willingness to try something new.

***Disclaimer: The following comment is not PETA-friendly***

It would seem that the chef picks up a pig or two, chops 'em up, and uses every single part of the animal he can to create his wild and crazy menu. However, what comes out is not just a plate of pig-meat, but a creation that somehow makes it okay to be eating the same things the thoughts of which would previously have made you gag a bit.  Pig ear 'chicharones' are the mildest example, deep fried and served with a sharp aioli, which go down as easy as crispy, fatty french fries.  Pork trotter meat is shredded and shaped into a round, breaded, and served atop creamy mashed potatoes.  A surprisingly delicious dish that doesn't at all scream "danger" when eaten.  The pig head cheese was one dish I just couldn't get my head around (pun intended).  In case you're wondering what head cheese is, it's not cheese.  Please 'google' it (after you read my blog!) because I prefer not to lose my appetite and yours by describing it here.  They serve the head cheese with a salad similar to coleslaw with a creamy sweet sauce that, perhaps, covers the uncomfortable (to some) texture of the head cheese.

On the 'tamer' side, the lamb hash, topped with a fried egg, carries the flavors of sausage which makes its pairing with the smooth egg yolk work very nicely.  Dashi marinated yellowtail (from the published menu) is light and fresh, and much more delicate than the other meaty dishes.  The dashi flavor is a unique surprise and allows this dish a fresh departure from typical raw fish preparations.  The yellowtail is served with hash browns, fancy tater-tots really, and I'm still not sure I really get this pairing, but I'm not one to turn my nose up at fried potatoes!

Possibly my favorite dish of the evening was an uber-simple, but scrumptious dish of whipped Jersey cow ricotta served with grilled bread.  Sounds boring, right?  Maybe so if you're into head cheese!  But the super-smooth and creamy cheese spread tastes divine on a perfectly charred buttery piece of toast.  It's comforting and interesting at the same time, with very subtle but distinct flavors.  If I could, I'd eat some every day...for breakfast...or lunch...or...dinner...or dessert topped with strawberries. I digress... Another favorite was the dish of brick roasted mussels, which are prepared with basil, white wine, house-made sriracha, and topped with french feta cheese.  The sriracha provided just enough kick and a uniqueness to the mussels, a nice twist on the classic white wine sauce. All I needed was another order of fried pig ear chicarones and I was on my way to a Lazy Ox Moules Frites of sorts!

I left at the end of the evening feeling proud of my bravery and willingness to eat random pig parts, which I learned is much easier to do given creative preparation that essentially disguises the fearful "parts" aspect under a cover of bold flavor combinations that make you go "hmm"...and then "mmm".