128 Old Topanga Cyn Rd. -- 4 miles North of PCH -- 310/455-1311
Luncheon - Monday - Friday 11:30 - 3:00, Sat. 10:30 - 3:00,
Sunday Brunch, 9:30 - 3:00
Dinner - Monday - Sunday, 6pm -- 10:00pm
An amazing and special dining experience even if you're not a rampant New Ager. You have to have reservations for this, and you have to valet park, but it's worth it. You don't have to kill yourself dressing up, just don't be a total slob.
First you'll see the cars of industry/computer gleaming with fresh wax and an I'm In Some Industry Let Me Tell You Which One license plates as you exit the "valet" area, then you immediately make the transition (just past the New Age Gift Shop -- nice candles, books and jewelry -- and overall not overpriced) to a natural forest area that comprises a huge and rather inventive outside eating area.
I don't know if you are allowed to smoke out there, I suspect not, and it's wonderful. Go late in the day or at night in the summer. They seat you next to a creek with croaking frogs and chirping crickets, candlelight and outside heaters if it's cold. They have "booths" molded out of concrete with pillows. A cat sidled by and lazily snoozed on the side of a booth, and the servers are exactly as new-hippy as you would expect. And that's just the start...the bread is to drop on the floor over over -- thick, doughy, perfectly baked wheat bread, but don't ask for a second basket because you'll never make it through all the food. They'll bring you vegetables to dip in a nice sauce, and if you dare, order the Portobello Mushroom (with goat cheese and Organic Apricot Sauce) appetizer ($9.95). It's ENORMOUS and the apricot sauce is sweet and delicious. Even if you hate the idea of mushrooms, you won't notice. It's that good. Other appetizers include Roasted Red Bell Peppers and Grilled Cactus for $8.95, and Shrimp in a Butter, Garlic and Herb Sauce for the more traditional of you ($9.95)
They have many many vegetarian selections, but also featured fish and chicken. The menu says "Entrees listed in order of their highest vibration". This alone is reason to bring an out-of-towner. I had a vegetarian lasagna (New Age Lasagna, it's called, and it's $20.95)with pine nuts that was the most amazing lasagna ever. It was like neapolitan ice cream -- three different kinds of lasagna taste in strips. One was pesto/pinenutty, one spinachy/cheesy/spinach noodly and one soft and very creamy and starchy with mushrooms that resembed a meat in texture.
Steven had the Salmon ($24.95), which is prepared "with a sauce of the chef's desire", which on that night was something regarding Dill, and was excellent. So that we don't turn off Non Veggie Non New Agers, they also have Duckling with papaya, mango, or "sauce inspired by the season" ($25.95, Lamb Rack with herb pesto ($29.95), and New York Steak ($24.95).
The bill for dinner, with no liquor, was $100.00 -- save it for an occasion, but it was very unique and very impressive. And very romantic
We finished up with a carob-pie dessert we thought would be just okay but was very good. We will have to investigate this and the buffet/brunch situation further and file our report.
The Sunday Brunch seems like an economical way to enjoy the beauty of this place. A sample: Cheese Omelette, or Spinach Tomato Olive Omelette, (each $8.95)or Lox and Cream Cheese Omelette with a Tofu Cream Cheese option for $9.95. Fresh bakery for $1.50 each and all but the cinnamon rolls are fruit sweetened (the rolls have maple -- yum!).
UPDATE: Well, we went for Sunday Brunch -- I HIGHLY recommend forking over the big bucks and getting the buffet - the Veggie one is $15.95, and the one that includes fish and a few other things is $20.95. The buffet is HUGE and includes things like deliciously curried wild rice, tofu quiche (I wouldn't have even tried this but I didn't know what it was and took it to see -- it was AMAZING), once again very dense, almost airless blueberry and cranberry breads, scones, pastas, salads, fruit, cake (really good cake), barley prepared with pinenuts in a sort of pesto sauce, thai-type noodles, freshly cooked veggies in varying sauces, hummus...for the more enhanced buffet they had salmon pate, lox (to go with bagels and cream cheese), crab legs (yeeeeeick)...it was wonderful. What's even funnier is you will likely eat like you've never seen food before because there is so much to try, but you will come away actually feeling pretty terrific instead of pretty bloated. Maybe it's all the home-baked good vibrations...