| Mission Ranch Restaurant |
More than a few local residents breathed a sigh of relief when Clint Eastwood bought the historic Mission Ranch property on the Carmel River in 1986. It wasn't just the threat that the old ranch would be torn down and replaced by condominiums. That was bad enough. But the possibility of losing the restaurant that had been a favorite local hangout for as long as some of them could remember made it doubly distressing.
Going back to the early '50s, when Eastwood himself, then stationed at Fort Ord, had started coming there, Mission Ranch Restaurant was the place for "good food and good fun." All you had to say was "meet me at the ranch" and everyone knew that you meant the Mission Ranch Restaurant. Families and honeymooners who came to stay in the cottages that dotted the 12-acre property ate many meals there, but it was the locals who laid claim to it as their own private watering hole and family restaurant.
The food was never the fancy gourmet fare you could get at some of the restaurants in downtown Carmel. This was real food steaks and chops and ribs and potatoes. The drinks were generous; there was always music of some kind in the bar (even if it was only an impromptu group sing) and best of all, you met up with your friends and neighbors to discuss the weather, the tourists, golf scores and politics.
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The ranch, built in the mid-1880s, was a diary farm until the '20s, and what is now the restaurant was once the dairy's creamery. It was first turned into a private club in the '30s; then Bert and Maggie Dienelt took it over and ran it as a restaurant and resort for 40 years. During World War II, the ranch became an officers' club, but was still open to the public for $1 a year. By the time Clint Eastwood bought it, Mission Ranch and its restaurant were badly in need of help. Locals who had come to know Eastwood as a man of his word during his two-year term as mayor of Carmel were confidant he would do what had to be done to restore it mainly invest big bucks.
Actually, he went beyond restoring. Even in their heyday, the buildings that house guests never looked more fresh and tidy than they do now, nor were the grounds quite so manicured and lush, nor the restaurant as spacious and airy. A large, airy dining room was added with one wall of windows overlooking a soothing view of sheep grazing in the meadow and the wetlands beyond stretching to the sandy shores of Carmel River beach, Point Lobos and the sea. For an even more unobstructed view of this pastoral scene, one can eat outside on a wide deck with umbrella tables.
The dining room has a comfy ranch look, with checkered tablecloths and a huge stone fireplace designed to look like it was built 100 years ago. There's also an antique, pot-bellied stove that was used in Eastwood's film "The Unforgiven." The bar is just as popular a hangout for locals as it ever was. The crowd is lively and there is piano entertainment seven nights a week. Customers are not in the least bashful about joining in for a chorus or two when old, familiar melodies are played.
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The basic menu concept hasn't changed, possibly because locals didn't want it to change. It's still hearty, ranch-style food with emphasis on prime rib, steaks and BBQ ribs. But Craig has moved it into the '90s with touches of modern California cuisine (if I may use that much-maligned term), such as a tapanade of black olives, artichokes, capers and sun-dried and fresh tomatoes served on loin of lamb or salmon served on a bed of lentils and fresh herbs.
Fresh fish is also featured. In addition to the salmon, there's always a catch of the day (on one occasion, the grilled mahi mahi was excellent) and a delicious version of jumbo scallops, sauteed in brown butter with baby artichokes, capers and tomatoes. Roasted chicken and beef brochette are also available and for the vegetarians, meatless lasagna with layers of vegetables, cheeses and a tomato-basil sauce.
Baby back ribs can be ordered as an appetizer or an entree. Either way, they're lean, cooked till the meat is ready to fall off the bone and finished with a sweet-tangy sauce. Many regulars won't order anything else.
Sunday brunch is always a popular time at the restaurant, especially when the sun is shining and the skies are clear and one can sit outside and revel in the joy of being in a place where nature's beauty is bestowed so generously.
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Mission Ranch Information |
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800/538-8221 • 800/538-8221 • 831/624-6436 • 831/625-9040•
26270 Dolores Ave, Carmel by the sea, California 93923
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