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La Maison's Dog Friendly Patio
What is in the name? La Maison Gourmet, just saying the French name, brings savor and flavor to my palate. “Maison” is a French word meaning house. Cuisine de la Maison! La Maison is where you could sit back; sip cocktails and savor your entree. There are three reasons to visit Chef John’s La Maison Gourmet in Dunedin; 1) open-kitchen cooking, 2) house-made unique dishes, 3) pet-friendly patio. Pets are barred from restaurants principally because of behavioral and physical safety concerns.
Florida and California have state and local laws that permit pets in outdoor restaurants or cafes. A permit runs between $100-$150 depending on the county laws. The dogs are not allowed to sit on the chairs or eat off restaurant plates, utensils, tableware, and enter or pass through the interior of a restaurant. The "doggie dining' ordinance will expire unless renewed or revised by July 1, 2009.
I grabbed my Chihuahua on a Sunday afternoon and brought her here to experience the pet-friendly patio. When we arrived, we had to wait. There was live music. Time passed by fast. There was a sanitizer on a service station and dog water cups under every table. All though La Maison did not offer any pet-friendly menu, the fact that they allowed dogs was brilliant.
The lunch experience was excellent. The salads were creative, satisfying and affordable without being too complex in preparation. The decor was welcoming, comfortable and relaxing. The service, while not formal by any means, was professional and very efficient. My server seemed to use all customers’ name while serving. La Maison offered $1.00 draft beer all day long. It seemed to be very popular with the temperatures hitting 100 degrees. It was an incandescent idea to keep out-of-town customers and locals happy.
First, I tried the pecan crusted breast of chicken salad. It was superb. The sliced chicken was served on top of mixed greens. The ginger soy dressing added a sweet yet bitter flavor. The feta cheese brought in salty nuances over Mandarin oranges’ sweetness. Florida Seafood salad fell short. Crab, shrimp, smoked salmon and lobster meats were chopped finely and rested on top of the mixed greens. Due to the lack of personality of the seafood mix, craisins, walnuts and the Mandarin oranges got lost within.
Everyone dining outside and inside seemed to be having a really great time, including the pets. The consensus would have been collectively positive which was why, on a hot Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.; the restaurant appeared to be running out of tables. The pets were all calm. All of them including mine remained under the shade of the patio tables. Chef John, the Chef and co-owner of La Maison, was approachable and socialized with his guests. There will be a craft show at Dunedin tomorrow afternoon. I will be checking it out before I head out to La Maison again with my Chihuahua. La Maison is located at 471 Main street in Dunedin. Bon appetit!
You could get more information about the menus and entertainment at lamaisongourmet.info/chefjohn.html
More pet-friendly pet dining could be found at www.dogfriendly.com
Current pet-friendly dining laws are listed at www.associatedcontent.com/article/50127/doggie_dining_law.html
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