Blue Dog Beer Tavern
4524 Saugus Ave, Sherman Oaks
818-990-2583
Fantastic news for San Fernando Valley residents! Blue Dog Beer Tavern in SO is now open for breakfast Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm. I was excited to attend the breakfast grand opening Saturday September 19 and particularly thrilled to be invited to sit with co-owner Tony Kouba and his friends. Also on hand to greet us was co-owner Paul Scrivano. Both were exceedingly warm, friendly and helpful in choosing which of Blue's scrumptious breakfast dishes we should try. It seems that their success in the last six years for lunch and dinner boils down to a good old sense of community philosophy that, according to Scrivano, is to give the customers what they want. "If they come in over the next few weeks and ask for something that is not on the menu like lox and bagels, then that's what we'll include." Don't try to change the customers by giving them what you want; satisfy them! Judging from the crowd inside and out on the ample porch, it works. The restaurant seats about 90 people inside and out, and it was filled to capacity. The food was uber delicious.
My friend Jim and I savored the Breakfast Toast items. I had the fried egg, Applewood smoked bacon and avocado toast; Jim had the fluffy, soft -scrambled eggs with chives... and the blueberry compote on housemade ricotta cheese. All were plentiful servings and really delicious. A word or two about the blueberry toast. The fruit is a good-sized portion and ultimately juicy, and in combo with the ricotta, the taste is unique and flavorful. Tony ordered another blueberry compote and insisted on sharing it as well as a toast with caramelized cinnamon apples and whipped cream (picture below). Mmmmm! If you have never had dessert for breakfast, well try this one; it's the next best thing to total bliss. If I had known the portions were as big as they were, I would never have ordered Sunshine Sammy, a lightly grilled potato bun filled with bacon, cheddar, avocado, chipotle aioli and topped with a sunny side egg. Wow! And it was served with housemade fries too! According to Tony, only the freshest ingredients are used, and all potatoes and meat are made and ground on the premises. Bread comes in from the outside, but is cut to their own specifications in house. All the breakfast items are reasonably priced at $8/per item. There are also a morning quesadilla, and a Taco' the Morning To You for only $7. Paul mentioned that French toast is planned, and they are open to unlimited suggestions. Mine would be to probably add omelettes and some kind of breakfast potato like hashed browns or cottage fries. Waffles would also be nice, especially with that blueberry compote/ricotta spread on top!
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| with Tony Kouba |
On the beverage side, there are fresh squeezed orange juice, fab mimosas, a house Sungria, a Pinot Noir with OJ, sprite and cut fruit for a mere $8/per glass. To top all that off, there's deliciously brewed Stumptown coffee from Pennsylvania, including flavors like cherry and toffee and fudge for a mere $3/per cup + refills.
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| with Paul Scrivano |
For the health-conscious eater, there's also Bowl o' Granola and a Savory Breakfast Risotto served with a sunny side egg, grape tomatoes, all blended with pesto sauce and spinach in a salad bowl, for only $9.
Service at Blue's is friendly and uber fast. And the atmosphere is so laid back and comfortable with a big screen TV for sports watching. The walls are handsomely adorned with many, many pictures of dogs of every breed. Bring the kids, and you and your pets will be accommodated on the porch! It's my kind of hangout. I'll be back!
