Dogs in restaurants in Burbank?

I saw a terrier mix in Burbank's Lancer's Restaurant this a.m.  I don't think it was a service dog.  Is this a start of a new and welcome trend in Burbank not-so-fine dining?  Or has Lancer's broken the time/space continuum and is that part of the restaurant really in France?

Yet one more reason that Burbank rocks: the Mayor is your parking valet!

Gary Bric, Burbank's mayor, is also the owner of Gary Bric's Ramp, a workingman's steakhouse and watering hole by the Hollywood Way/5 Fwy off-ramp. (Does this sound like the outline for a sit-com?) If you don't know the Ramp, you should. The non-descript building and paneled dining room have been offering up pretty terrific steaks, etc. at reasonable prices for a few decades now. And on Friday night, was Bric behind the bar, in the kitchen, or counting receipts? No! He was parking patron's cars! For hours! For free! With a smile and wave! (The parking lot is postage stamp-sized.) No, he was not accepting tips. Somehow, I just can't see Villaraigosa or Bloomberg doing this.

New restaurant news

I just learned that Barney's Beanery is coming to Burbank!

It will open in the new Loft Collection downtown. For those of you that might not know, Barney's is a legendary Hollywood bar and burger joint. Famous for its rowdy atmosphere in the 70's and 80's, it served lots of imported beers and great hamburgers. Unfortunately, in those days it also had matchbooks printed with the message, "Faggots Stay Out." Those are long gone, thankfully. It will be interesting to see how this works out here.

Taste Burbank, er, Chicago

I was thrilled to note that today's L.A. Times' food section listed Burbank's own Taste Chicago in their list of the most excellent hot dog stands in the L.A. area. The deep-dish pizza is pretty excellent, too. LAT says, "The excellent balance of elements makes this the most satisfying Chicago dog around."

News Flash! Macaroni Grill Restaurant is Muerte in Burbank

Macaroni Grill Restaurant at 1st and Magnolia has gone out of business. Too bad. Burbank just doesn't have enough national chain casual dining restaurants to serve the community.

From French 75 to Savannah

Whew! No, French 75 here in Burbank hasn't gone out of business, it has just changed its name to Savannah. Presumably, there have been some menu and decor changes, too.

Make Burgers, Not Buildings

Those of you who have been following the progress of the building plans for the Evergreen and Magnolia lot may have been delighted to see a burger stand going up instead. We certainly were -- Keller Burgers (could that be the Keller, as in Thomas Keller fame?) is being constructed on that very controversial spot.

Alas, however, it was too good to be true. It's a set for an HBO show (don't know which one). Thanks, friend Ellen, for dashing our dreams. However, Ellen tells us that she's heard that the building the Burbank City Council approved may be too expensive to build anyway. Has anybody else heard anything?

Chili Johns is Featured on HBO's Big Love

Who says Burbank doesn't have unique (well, maybe not sophisticated) places to eat? Our very own Chili John's restaurant was featured in last night's episode of HBO's Big Love. CJ's was the scene of a major plot point (Harry Dean Stanton got shot on the sidewalk outside) and it's location stood in for a place named Juniper Creek, Utah. Okay, so comparing a small town in Utah to Burbank is not that far-fetched. For those of you who don't know, Chili John's is a beloved Burbank institution and only serves chili. The restaurant has a very unique horseshoe-shaped counter and, uh, interesting murals on the walls. The chili is terrific and the restaurant has been in business for well over 40 years.