Billed as part roadhouse, European inn, pony express stop, hunting lodge and maybe a hint of bordello in its long history, Saddle Peak Lodge enters its 30th year with new offerings and more options for guests.
Owner Ann Ehringer bought the business 23 years ago while she was a full-time business professor at USC, toting her business and arts degrees from the Marshall School of Business, Hawaii University and Stanford University, respectively.
“I worked for one year selling property in Santa Barbara and I was asked to become administrative head of a couple small development companies,” she said. “That led to an invitation to be head of a small development company in Santa Monica, and that lead to eventually buying Saddle Peak.”
Her children, who are now grown up with their own families, are both living locally, with her daughter residing in Westlake Village and running a special needs preschool program in Malibu. Her son is an author with a book coming out soon and lives in Silver Lake. He’s also an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University.
“I’m so blessed to have my kids and grandkids in town,” she said.
Ehringer aims to keep Saddle Peak’s elegant and rustic atmosphere also vibrant, and some of her staff have been there since she bought it.
“It’s become a love sort of thing,” she said about people’s relationships to the building. “You fall in love with the people, and certainly the guests. The neighbors are the most important part of what we do.”
At a neighbor’s request, the restaurant started a happy hour. Recently, it has also done free corkage, a prix-fixe supper menu and an a la carte menu. Walk-in dinners are more common and dine LA restaurant week drew new crowds. The sprawling and tranquil outdoor patio section was rearranged, so the restaurant now seats 198 inside and 225 total. At the full bar, options for Scotch, bourbon and tequila flights are available to go along with an all-American wine list.
“I still don’t feel like a restaurateur,” Ehringer said. “I try to hire the best people. I pay a great deal of attention to what’s going on.”
Over Valentine’s weekend, Saddle Peak offered up an enticing prix-fixe menu, which included an appetizer option of venison Carpaccio, a mid-course option of oxtail ravioli, an entrée option of grilled elk tenderloin and a dessert option of banana huckleberry bread pudding. Each course had three or more options.
“We’re trying to give guests more options,” said manager Jeffrey Rowe. “Having this variety, I’m able to accommodate most needs. We’re here to please.”
Executive Chef Chris Kufek came to Saddle Peak four to five years ago by way of the Santa Barbara restaurant scene, and took a short stint training under James Beard award-winner chef Gavin Kaysen in San Diego. A West Hills native, Kufek returned to L.A. to first work at a couple of corporate franchises.
The menu is always changing and they offer at least 12 different types of game, including ostrich and wild boar. Ostrich is a popular, yet tricky, cut of meat, he admits. It comes from a special farm in the region. “You don’t get that type of variety anywhere else in the city,” he said. “It’s interesting to see the ordering traits.”
Nestled in the Malibu and Calabasas Hills, Saddle Peak does seem close to L.A. but worlds apart. Rowe said they have maintained the status of being a prized venue for weddings and anniversaries, and have held some events in the last months for some of Hollywood’s elite.
Saddle Peak Lodge is located at 419 Cold Canyon Road, Calasbasas. For more information, visit saddlepeaklodge.com.