Lazy Dog Sports Bar and Grill
Delivers great food, congenial atmosphere
By K.A. Esposito Contributing Writer

The Lazy Dog Sports Bar and Grill in downtown Marlborough K.A. ESPOSITO

Marlborough - I needed some "girl time," and chose the Lazy Dog Sports Bar and Grill for lunch with two friends. It was a terrific choice.

Sitting on tall stools in the sunny dining room, we took our time on our selections, but I recommended the onion rings ($4.95) for starters.

Served with a tasty horseradish dressing, the lace-thin rings are lightly dusted with a seasoned breading and served hot and piled high. One of my friends, a self-described food snob who always seems to be dieting, chowed down on the rings with the rest of us.

She went healthy with her main course, a veggie wrap ($6.95) piled with lettuce, carrots, peppers and more, all on a layer of chickpea hummus inside a garlic wrap, served with the Dog's crispy, seasoned french fries.

It was a good thing we had ordered the onion rings, because she took some time to come to that decision; she considered the salad of the day, which turned out to be a Mediterranean chicken salad, a salad with steak tips, onion soup and more before making her decision.

My other friend was more decisive, settling quickly on the hot pastrami sandwich ($7.95). Served on a bulky role with dark mustard, the thick sandwich also came with those wonderful fries. Happy with her meal, her contribution to health was to save half the sandwich for her husband.

As for me, I suddenly had a craving for a thick, juicy hamburger with cheese ($7.45). I had my heart set on cheddar, but our server threw me when she gave me the list of cheeses available. I went with pepper jack, which she assured me was a good choice.

My nod toward health came when I asked for a salad to substitute for the fries. At the cost of $1.25, it was well worth it. When I was served the thick burger on a rectangular platter, I was amazed at the pile of fresh, crisp veggies along side it: lettuce, pepper and carrots filled half the plate. The Lazy Dog makes all its own salad dressings, and for a light, tangy choice, I recommend balsamic vinaigrette.

The burger itself was a work of gastronomic art. The bulky roll was chewy, but soft inside; two slices of pepper jack cheese covered the burger. And the burger! Medium rare, with juices running, it was delicious. I rarely order burgers, because I am so often disappointed. Not this time. And since my friend had raved about her brown mustard, I asked the waitress for some, and the added zing only brought it closer to perfection.

Although we were all full, we decided we had to do the restaurant justice and order dessert. One slice of the triple chocolate cake ($3.95) was enough for all three of us. It was rich, dense and worth the eff ort to eat just one more bite.

Lazy Dog Sports Bar & Bistro is located at 31 Main St., in Marlborough. For more information, call 508-229-2254.