Lets Eat Out at...

Restaurant Lozano
44 N. Baldwin Ave., Sierra Madre

Michelle Lucero (pictured above) and her husband, Gilbert, are the owners of Restaurant Lozano.

Restaurant Lozano is a delightful place to dine if you decide to pay a visit to the charming little village of Sierra Madre, nestled in the foothills above Arcadia. It is an active community and many La Cañadians can be seen from time to time at the terrific productions at the Sierra Madre Playhouse, some under the direction of former La Cañada Flintridge resident Bob Hakman with his wife, Sandra Hakman, an outstanding actress, in the starring role. There is always something going on in this little community. The Friends of the Sierra Madre Library presents an annual wine tasting in February and an art fair in May. In March, the Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Wisteria Festival, celebrating the community and its world-famous wisteria vine, and in June the British Home holds its June Faire. In October, Sierra Madre celebrates Pioneer Days with many fun, educational events relating to local and California history. Sierra Madre is also remembered by many as the discovery site of the famous pods in the movie, “The Body Snatchers,” a 1956 science fiction film.

Restaurant Lozano has been established in downtown Sierra Madre since 1981. The restaurant has a 25-year history of supporting the community through participation in numerous nonprofit Food & Wine events annually. Also, the restaurant has nearly 25 years of history as an art gallery showcasing the fine art of local artists.

The chef at Restaurant Lozano is Isauro Hernandez. He likes to be called “Easy” for short. Chef Isuaro keeps himself very active with daily lunch and dinner specials. He has nearly 20 years of experience, including some at well-known restaurants such as Trumps Los Angeles, Pinot Bistro, Studio City, Pinot at the Chronicle, Twin Palms, Spencers Pasadena and Porto’s Cafe & Bakery Glendale.

Chef Isauro always has a nice fresh fish or fresh seafood special. Fresh Alaskan halibut, swordfish, escolar, sea bass, scallops and paella are just a few. There are special soups daily, both warm and chilled. Great care is given to all of the dishes coming out of the Lozano kitchen. Chef Isauro has also introduced a few new desserts — flourless chocolate cake, warm apple tart and fresh fruit sorbet. He has also introduced fresh baked breads — herb & tomato focaccia, pannini rolls and garlic bread.

We started our meal with coconut shrimp and crispy goat cheese quesadilla. If you like black bean soup, it is outstanding. For salad, try the pear salad with mixed greens, endive, blue cheese, candied walnuts and French pear. It is perfect for summer as is the mango and grilled chicken salad. The salads are mostly entrée salads served with chicken or fresh fish. I also enjoyed the homemade three cheese ravioli with a mushroom basil cream sauce. Also delicious was the slow roasted beef brisket, and the pan roasted chicken. The bacon wrapped filet with sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes was also very tasty.

The restaurant is operated by founders Gilbert and Michelle Lucero. Michelle is from Arcadia and Gil is from Temple City. They have five sons Dion, 30; triplets Max, Alex and Dash, 14; and Olivier, 12. They are on hand to greet guests and guarantee that you have a pleasant dining experience for both lunch and dinner.

For reservations or more information, call (626) 355-3576 or visit www.restaurantlozanos.com.