Perhaps a Lazy Chameleon, but not a Lazy Crew in the Kitchen...

Happy Birthday Jodi!  Thanks
for the invite!

I know I have been saying repeatedly that I will eventually get better with my cell phone cam and always get a picture before I devour my food...  With this post, I am sure you are going to wonder if I need to get into some sort of 12-step program to help me reach that goal...  In my defense, I wasn't really expecting to post anything about my visit last night to the Lazy Chameleon in Powell.  I was going along with my wife for a birthday celebration for one of her friends and co-workers, Jodi.  It was originally going to be drinks only.  Dithering back and forth about whether to venture out into the weather, time slipped away and we didn't have time to fix dinner before we left, so we had dinner along with our drinks.




It was in that moment of satisfaction after polishing off the killer buffalo chicken salad, I remarked to my wife about how great it was... That she asked me if I had taken a picture first?  I suppose if we were on TV, she would have given me a Leroy Jethro Gibbs inspired slap to the back of the head when I furtively said 'nooooo.'  -grimace-  Trying for at least a partial save, I snapped a picture of the empty plate.  That would at least give some reference as to the healthy portion of the salad.  What filled the plate before I started was a generous bed of chopped romaine (not a single core in there either), matchstick carrots, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar, and crispy buffalo chicken.  The greens and other enhancements were good, perhaps exceptional for a bar/live music venue and the buffalo chicken was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, sliced perfectly, and complemented by a perfect application of buffalo sauce.  A pleasant bite, but not enough to set my mouth on fire.  I opted for the blue cheese dressing, which was also well above average.  Definitely some chunks of good blue cheese in there.  Not sure if they make the dressing in house or if they just buy a good dressing.  Either way, it was delicious and more than enough to satisfy my late night appetite.

The plate was full before I
snapped the pic.

My wife ordered something more common for this type of venue - pretzel bites.  A large platter of big soft pretzel nuggets with a creamy mustard sauce for dipping.  Response to the mustard sauce was mixed.  I liked it and my wife didn't.  She prefers some sort of beer cheese sauce for dipping.  I sneaked a couple of pretzel bites when she wasn't looking and they were warm, soft, and had a good coating of coarse salt.  Perfect with just a dab of that mustard sauce.  Yum!  Needless to say, that plate went back empty to the kitchen as well.  Others in our party sampled the crab cakes and fried cheese wedges.  Nothing but a shower of compliments and more empty plates.  The drink selection was good, with a number of good beers and hard cider on tap.  She ordered the Fat Tire Amber and I went for a Johnny Appleseed hard cider.  Why does everything taste better on draft than out of a bottle?  Can't remember the last time she had more than one beer in an evening.  If they were real tires, she could have had enough for a tricycle when she was done.  -big smile-

The menu at the Lazy Chameleon is fairly simple.  I find when visiting venues like this, the simpler the menu... The better the food...  If the menu reads like the Sears & Roebuck catalog, chances are it is all coming into the kitchen frozen.  Nobody is really cooking in the kitchen, just reheating.  That is clearly not the case at the Lazy Chameleon.  They are doing some serious cooking in that kitchen.  The menu tilts a little towards seafood, but still a few options for someone like me who isn't really a fan of the surf.  I am sure I will go back soon and I will definitely have dinner there again.  

The atmosphere was tough to judge on Saturday night.  It was a night for live music ($6 cover charge per person).  The bands were Hott Lucy and Fat Dog.  From talking up the massive crowd, it had been awhile since the members of Fat Dog had performed together.  So it was a bit of a reunion concert for them.  They were both excellent bands, playing a good variety of popular music from different eras (heard cover for the Beatles, Bon Jovi, Journey, Van Halen, and even Tool).  Only downside...  At my age, it was too loud, even when the music wasn't playing (did I mention the massive crowd).  I felt like if we were anywhere other than a bar, the staff would be wearing those earplugs like the baggage handlers wear out on the runway at the airport.  Just like any man who occasionally  forgets he is married, I took earplugs for me and none for my wife.  Her ears are still ringing as I type this.  Not sure how much that matters on a personal level, as she only listens to me about half the time.  -smile-  Good news is that the waitress was adept at interpreting my rough hand signals when ordering additional drinks (mime tipping a glass to my lips then point to the person who needed one), food (wave and point to the item on the menu), and bringing the check when we were ready to leave (hand across the neck to cut it off and signature pattern on my hand).  Despite the crowd, the waitress checked on us frequently and our glasses were always full and empty plates and glasses cleared away quickly.  Thought I could hear strains of the Donna Summer song in my head (She Works Hard for the Money).

Overall, we both had a good time in spite of our advancing age... -chuckle- It was well worth the trip out into the snow and cold.  We'll just remember to take two pairs of ear plugs next time if there is going to be live music.