The Historic Restaurant In Southern California Where You Can Still Experience The Old West
By Natasha Kayes|Published March 14, 2023
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Natasha Kayes
Author
I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and will never tire of the West Coast, although I spent several years living in Southeast Asia, about as far from California as you can get. Wherever I am in the world, I love straying from the beaten path, experiencing local life, and discovering hidden gems - camera in hand. The beach is my happy place and when I am not there (or writing), you will usually find me baking, watching movies, and cuddling my pugs. I have traveled around the country and around the world, and it never, ever gets old. Being able to combine my passion for travel and my love of writing is nothing short of a dream.
The tiny Southern California town of Cornell, just down the road from Paramount Ranch, was once an autonomous little community virtually unconnected with the farmlands of the San Fernando Valley on one side or the town of Malibu on the other. Nestled in the Santa Monica mountains between the two in the 1800s, the town consisted of a few small businesses, including a post office, and a simple way of life. You can still experience those days at this Old West restaurant in Cornell.
Aptly named, the family-run Old Place really is just that. An old building that feels like it stayed in the past while the world moved on around it.
This building was built in the 1800s and had long been shuttered when it was purchased and renovated, though not in the way you might think. Rather than bring in modern appointments, Tom Runyon had a vision of a place where, in his own words, "time was a bit wound backwards."
The building that this unexpectedly incredible restaurant occupies was once the town’s original post office and Hank’s Country Store during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The “new” Old Place was turned into a restaurant and bar using found and salvaged items, such as the old solid wood bar that was rescued from an old Nevada City saloon.
The Old Place has never had a freezer. Food is cooked over the kitchen’s wood-burning grill and since nothing is ever frozen for later, dishes are available each day until they run out.
In the beginning, the menu was essentially huge bone-in ribeye steaks and steamed clams (as you can still see hand-painted on a mining cart near the front porch), accompanied by wine and beer, of course.
While steak and clams remain central to the restaurant’s offerings, the menu has been expanded and updated to include fish and other dishes, charcuterie, and desserts, as well as breakfast, brunch, and lunch on the weekends.
One of the newer dishes that gets a lot of attention is the noodle bake, the restaurant’s version of macaroni and cheese, made with egg noodles, parmesan, goat cheese, and mozzarella.
The original mail room, which still has its wall of letter cubbyholes, is used as a private dining space and can accommodate up to 12 people for dinner.
The bed of an old truck on the original store property was completely renovated as well, being outfitted with a tiny wooden coffee house that serves locally roasted coffee, espresso drinks, and fresh baked goods.
The Old Place, and in fact this still-tiny community, is a real taste of a simpler time. Have you ever been to this Old West restaurant? Would you like to know more? Visit the website for more photos, history, and reservations. If you love historic spots, check out this SoCal restaurant in an 1800s stagecoach stop.
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