Malibu Surfside News

16 | August 6, 2020 | MALIBU SURFSIDE NEWS DINING OUT
malibusurfsidenews.com
THE DISH
Old Place: Not just eats, an experience
Owner Morgan
Runyon making
sure customers are
safe, satisfied
BARBARA BURKE,
Staff Reporter
“You are not in the mountains
- the mountains are in
you.” - John Muir
That inscription on a
sign nestled among the tall
trees in the patio area between
the Old Place and
the Cornell Winery & Tasting
Room sets the tone for a
lovely outdoor dining experience
that is perfect during
COVID-19 times.
The Old Place, originally
a general store and post office
that opened in the early
20th century, now a saloon
and steak house, has served
as the set for many a movie
and television show, as a
favorite haunt for many a
celebrity and as a favorite
steak place for many a local.
Today, the Old Place continues
to be an iconic venue
where Hollywood meets the
Old West, but also where
bikers meet cyclists, and
families and friends meet
and enjoy eating out in one
of its open-air booths.
An old truck has been
converted into a coffee
shop in the back, and if
you’re in the mood for libations,
next door the Cornell
Winery offers a tasting
room celebrating wines
sourced from Monterey to
Santa Clarita to Los Angeles
and provides a lovely
outdoor sitting area to take
in the views of the beautiful
trees and lush foliage.
“It’s very peaceful here,”
Lyssa Hurvitz said as she
and Anna Petrelli enjoyed
glasses of wine. “It’s really
nice to be able to leave the
house and enjoy drinks outside.”
For eats, the Old Place
is known for steaks grilled
over a local red oak fire,
served with all the fixings.
Try the 12-ounce Old Place
cut sirloin ($31), cooked to
perfection and served with
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THE OLD PLACE
29983 Mulholland
Highway, Agoura Hills
Hours
3-7:30 p.m. Thursday;
noon-7:30 p.m. Friday;
10 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday;
closed Monday-
Wednesday
Phone: (818) 706-9001
Email:
oldplacecornellrez@
gmail.com
On the web:
oldplacecornell.com
a side salad and a loaded
baked potato. For a heartier
appetite, the 18-ounce ribeye
($46) satisfies even the
most hungry customer. Add
on thick crust sourdough
bread and butter for $4.50
a Caesar salad — with tasty
Old Place sourdough croutons
— for $16; .
Non-meat-eaters can also
enjoy some terrific fare. Try
the oak-grilled portobello
mushroom sandwich ($18)
with roasted garlic, sage ash
aioli and caramelized onion,
served on sourdough bread
with a choice of potato wedges
or a mixed green salad.
“The portobello sandwich
is excellent,” said Emma
Goodwin as she sat on the
porch of the Old Place with
husband Matthew Goodwin.
“We came to support
(owner) Morgan (Runyon)
and the Old Place because
it’s a true Malibu icon.”
The Goodwins, who operate
Surfrider Hotel in Malibu,
fully understand that
locals must support locals.
As Emma spoke, Runyon
smiled with appreciation and
You won’t leave hungry and might just have enough for
another meal at home with the 12-ounce Old Place cut sirloin,
with salad and baked potato ($31).
SUBMITTED PHOTO/MAGGIE PEDERSEN
The breezeway at Cornell Winery is the perfect place to pick
up a lovely plant, enjoy a glass of wine and chill while your
food is being cooked at the steak house.
BARBARA BURKE/SURFSIDE NEWS
talked about the synergy between
locals and their businesses
and his energy spent
on expanding outdoor eating
areas on the property.
Runyon gave Malibu
Surfside News a tour of the
grounds.
“We’re making sure our
customers are safe, taking
every precaution, having
customers eat outside, wearing
masks and social distancing,”
Runyon said. “My next
project is to have a two-top
in a tree house bolted into a
eucalyptus tree.”
As your food is cooking,
venture over to the winery
and buy a glass or a bottle
or choose from a variety
of small craft California
beers. The small shop has
a variety of items from local
vendors and vintners.
A foray out into the garden
breezeway is not to be
missed because the carefully
curated merchandise features
beautiful succulents,
cactuses and other plants.
The Old Place affords
a space to enjoy the Santa
Monica Mountains and
some excellent fare as well
as indulge in communing
with nature, a respite in uncertain
times.