Undaunted by recent store closings throughout Conejo Valley, one restaurant has decided to open a freestanding, 7,500square-foot location at The Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks.

Lazy Dog Cafe opened last weekend on Hillcrest Drive, adjacent to the Muvico Theaters. It is the first major restaurant to open near the theaters on what is supposed to become a restaurant row.

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse was slated to be built at the mall but backed out. Other pads are still undeveloped.

Muvico opened last March.

Lazy Dog believes it will have a leg up due to its existing track record in Southern California. The company has restaurants in Westminster, Orange and Torrance.

In addition to the site in Thousand Oaks, another restaurant is being planned for Valencia, company officials said.

The T.O. location seats about 300 people and will employ more than 100. A 59-seat patio features a severalhundredyearold oak tree as its centerpiece.

"We've pulled out all of the stops in bringing this, our latest Lazy Dog Cafe, to Thousand Oaks," said co-owner Chris Simms, whose family founded Mimi's Cafe and other restaurants.

Menu items include classic American pot roast, "Not Your Mom's" meatloaf, ginger soy salmon, baby back ribs, Hawaiianinspired ahi poke, and freshbaked flat breads and pizzas.

Lazy Dog Cafe is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and also offers a Saturday and Sunday brunch.

The restaurant is at 172 W. Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks.

—John Loesing