Lake & Irving's menu does a lot very well. (Images: Jason Suss)
New in the Neighborhood
Before heading over to Lake & Irving, let’s start with a few food and drink updates for the neighborhood.
Arizona Taco Co. has opened in the former Libertine/Arts & Rec space on the southwest corner of Lake and Girard (in the Seven Points mall). It’s their second location, with the original having opened in New Hope in 2019. It’s a big space with a large rooftop, so let’s hope that they can get the volume they need to succeed.
Harold’s Chicken Sports Bar has also officially opened. I haven’t had a chance to go see the chickens playing sports yet, but I’ll report back when I do.
OG ZaZa has opened in the former Mesa Pizza location on Lagoon. They feature “New Haven” style pizza, which is wood-fired, thin and crispy with the charred dough and cheese bubbles. I’ve had it at their other locations, and it’s quite tasty. They are open very, very late: 3 a.m. on weekends. I think that’s pretty ambitious, so we’ll see how it shakes out.
Tom's Thai is still dry.
So Much Going on Inside
Now that we’ve covered what’s new, let’s visit something tried and true.
Lake & Irving opened in 2013. Despite many of their neighbors changing over, they’ve remained strong. I think one of the main reasons is because there’s so much going on inside.
Is it a neighborhood restaurant? Yes. Does it have good cocktails and a rotating menu of local beer? Yes. Does it have a surprisingly impressive whiskey list? Yes. Does it offer several spaces for private dining? Yes.
Did the chef train with Morimoto? Yes. Do they serve standard American fare, Hawaiian fusion cuisine and well-executed fresh sushi? Also, yes.
That’s a lot to do well, but they pull it off. The main reason is owner and culinary director Chris Ikeda. He has a wealth of experience working with numerous internationally acclaimed chefs.
His apprenticeship under Alan Wong, often credited with being one of the founders of Hawaiian cuisine, helped him form his unique style. Hawaiian cuisine fuses many types of Asian, native tropical and American cuisine, which are all represented on the Lake & Irving menu.
Executive chef Eduardo Flores has a strong background in sushi along with Latin American cuisine. That’s why there is a sushi menu at what most people wouldn’t think of as a “sushi restaurant,” but with a bit of a Latin twist in items like the poke nachos and hamachi tostadas.
“Their buttermilk chicken sandwich is probably their most popular item, and rightfully so.”
The Menu
The menu is big, which can sometimes cause some items to fall flat, a common issue with trying to do too much. However, everything I’ve had there has been good.
Their buttermilk chicken sandwich is probably their most popular item, and rightfully so. It’s hot, crispy, cheesy and just right with some acid from the pickles.
But there are so many other interesting options. Loco Moco is a classic Hawaiian dish of rice, curry, egg, shrimp and chicken or short rib. Yonsei is a yakisoba noodle and veggie dish with beef, pork or salmon.
There are lots of veggie options like the KFC (Korean fried cauliflower), ginger scallion tofu or a quinoa salad. And of course, there’s a burger for that one friend we all have, but it uses Angie’s Acres Akaushi Wagyu beef, so it’s extra decadent.
Suffice it to say, everyone is going to be able to find something they like on the menu.
Before You Go
There’s a happy hour Monday through Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. with some good deals on bar snacks (think sliders and musubi) and drinks. Lunch and brunch are served Friday through Sunday, featuring much of their menu and some more traditional breakfast items.
They didn’t forget about the kiddos either. There are a few smaller entrees for those under 12. There’s also a parking lot in back if you prefer to avoid the dangers of the bike lanes.
Jason Suss spent 15 years in tech before leaving the corporate world to pursue his passion for cocktails. For the past 12 years, he has worked on both sides of the bar at local restaurants. He now lives in Lowry Hill and owns @AProperPour.
