Charlie’s Lakeside

Charlie’s Lakeside Restaurant Review:

The centerpiece of this spacious restaurant is its bar with 35 seats, one for each slot machine embedded in its counter. Separating the bar from the dining room (open 6 a.m.-10 p.m.) is a floor-to-ceiling stone wall with a fireplace facing diners. Breakfast favorites include the California three-egg omelet. At the bar, beef filet sliders are popular at lunch and dinner. We recommend the appetizer of sautéed scallops on a bed of garlic spinach with a white wine cream sauce; a salad of spring mix with ruby red grapefruit, pink grapefruit, oranges, Mandarin oranges and avocado tossed in a honey-yogurt dressing; a ten-inch smoked salmon pizza with crème fraîche and caviar---all available for lunch and dinner---plus linguine pescatore (shrimp, calamari and scallops in a light tomato sauce) on the dinner menu. Note: portions are generous. The four-layer carrot cake is addictive. The extensive wine list nicely complements the cuisine, as does Wednesday-Saturday evening’s singing pianist.