Dining Has Gone To The Dogs
I am always amazed at the placid dogs that sit quietly on a restaurant's outside patio while their owners happily munch away. The only dog my family ever had, Lucy, is a 50-pound headstrong and hyper German shepherd-terrier mix. No way she would've sat for an hour when there were people and dogs walking by and untold items to sniff. (Think the Boca Raton coffee shop scene in Marley and Me, although thankfully, Lucy is nowhere near as strong as the 97-pound Marley was.)
But clearly some dogs are better trained than Lucy, or smaller and more easy to manage, and owners just love to bring their pets along to brunch/lunch/dinner. And since the passing of the doggie dining bill by the Florida legislature in June 2006, restaurants have run with the idea. Sam Snead's in Orlando has a "furry friends menu" with items like chicken and kibble and bow wow pizza that are served on a frisbee; with prices in the $4-10 range, it's actually a pretty smart way to pad the bill. And China Grill in Miami Beach recently hosted "Dogs Gone Wild" on Sunday evenings, which also offered a menu just for pets. (The promotion is no longer available, but guests are still welcome to sit with their dogs on the outdoor patio.)
Here's where I want to hear what you guys think. Do you know of any other pet-friendly restaurants in South Florida? Or do you think the furry beasts belong at home and should stay there?
Sam Snead's [Official Site]
China Grill Sobe [MenuPages]
China Grill Sobe [Official Site]
Photo: Lochaven/flickr
