33101 Bouquet Canyon Rd Santa Clarita, California 91390 Phone: 661-296-5656

You will receive 2 - $25 Certificates for $25!



From Santa Clarita just 9 miles north of the intersection at Plum Canyon and Bouquet Canyon Roads.

From Palmdale 12 miles south of Palmdale Blvd. (Lake Elizabeth Rd.)

Join us starting at 11am Saturday and Sunday for our Char House menu and gourmet pizza.

Dining Room open Wednesday thru Sunday at 5pm,
Reservations Recommended
(661) 296-5656

The Big Oaks Lodge

It's a long, winding drive up Bouquet Canyon Road to the historic Big Oaks lodge.

"There was a feeling, since the beginning, that this place was welcoming," said Antonio Viscito, one of the partners.

The Big Oaks in itself has a tremendous history, being built before the 1920s as a stagecoach stop.

It caught on as a popular place for movie stars to relax from the 1930s through the 1950s, when stars such as Mary Pickford built cabins in the forest.

Its legendary history as a hangout for the stars includes rumors, such as the one about gangster "Pretty Boy" Floyd once coming in to use the phone as he was making a getaway.

The lodge went through different owners, with the previous owners, Diana White and John Smyth having The Big Oaks Lodge for 27 years, and using a part of the property to train boxers such as Michael Dokes.

Diana has worked for Michael and Terrie  Milligan, since 2004 at Stone International, Inc.

When Milligan, who did granite for Cavi in Newhall, approached Antonio Viscito for the second location, he was excited by the opportunity to grow.

"He saw the potential," Milligan said. However, the potential needed a little bit of work.

The bar is considered to be a popular stop for motorcycle riders on weekends, but the building - especially the dining room - needed work.

They replaced booths from the 1960s with tables and chairs, repaired the roof and removed the boxing ring, where fighters were trained, to create a patio for al fresco dining.

"It needed a fresh breath of air," Milligan said.

Tony's dad, Vincenzo, came out from Naples to teach the chefs how to make 12-inch, Naples-style pizzas.

The owners hope to expand, adding brunches for Easter, Mother's Day and live bands on Sundays during the summer months. In addition, they hope to include catering and special events, such as weddings.

"The business plan is to make it worth the drive," Milligan said, adding that the lodge, with the romantic backdrop of the forest and the open road make for an interesting location, not to mention its history.

"It's a feeling of nostalgia," Milligan said.

Film History

The Big Oaks has been featured in many movies, television shows and commercials including:

Movies
Frances - 1982 - Staring Jessica Lange and Sam Shephard
American Gun - 2002 - Staring James Coburn and Virginia Madsen
Enough - 2002 - Staring Jennifer Lopez
Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines - 2003 - Staring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Claire Danes

Television
(2) Highway to Heaven
90210
Dynasty

Commercials
AT&T
Vonage

27653 Bouquet Canyon Rd. Saugus, California 91350 Phone: (661) 263-7445

You will receive 5 - $10 Certificates for $25!

($20 minimum purchase, 1 certificate per purchase per visit.)

Get Some Grill Kabob

Offering mouth-watering Middle Eastern fare

By Michelle Sathe, Signal Senior Staff Writer

In a valley of franchised fast food, authentic ethnic joints like Grill Kabob often get overlooked.

That's a shame.

Not only is the food being served at this modest Saugus restaurant a great value, it's healthy, too. Most of all, it's tasty.

A combination plate of boneless chicken breast ($5.95 - served all day) is a beautiful symphony of color and flavor. Saffron-tinged, fluffy basmati rice forms a base topped with light orange chunks of tikka-like chicken chunks, while the sides include a vibrant grilled tomato, a golden pool of hummus, and a Greek salad full of olives and feta.

It's amazing the chicken is so tender and juicy, as there's virtually no fat to be found. A simple marinade of lemon juice, olive oil and spices gets soaked up and provides the savory goodness, accented by a slight char from the grill.

"It's our best-seller," said Ara Karamian, Grill Kabob owner. "We make everything to order and our food is very fresh. Nine out of 10 items are grilled and the ingredients we use - olive oil, lemon, parsley, mint, tomato, onion - are all very good for your body."

Karamian started his professional culinary career in Canada before moving to Saugus with his family five years ago, however, his love of food began much earlier. Born in Iran and of Armenian descent, Karamian would cook alongside his parents and grandparents, preparing traditional dishes that have become the basis of Grill Kabob's menu.

After three years in business, Karamian can still be found at the restaurant six days a week, prepping the marinades and side dishes.

"We developed our recipes through trial and error. The best way to know we're doing it right is when your customers say, your hummus is the best, which ours do," Karamian said proudly. "One customer told me that his pregnant wife used to dream of our ekra."

After tasting this eggplant salad, it's easy to see why.

Lush, silky, redolent with a hint of subtle smoke from rustic bits of grilled tomato, peppers, and eggplant, ekra is an exotic, addictive chutney, a party for the taste buds. Hummus runs a close second; the creamy tahini and garbanzo dip boasts just the right amount of garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Both can be ordered as part of the vegetarian plate ($8.95), which offers a choice of five salads (artichoke, ekra, green bean, Greek, tabbouleh, hummus, shirazi, or bobagnosh).

The falafel plate ($5.95) is another delicious vegetarian choice: five large spheres of freshly ground garbanzo mingling with spices, cooked to a deep golden brown, crisp on the outside and moist on the inside. A falafel wrap, tucked in lavash with tomato, cucumber, onion and a liberal douse of excellent tzatziki sauce, is also available ($4.95).

Another excellent meat-free meal would be the dolma plate ($5.95), which offers five fantastically fresh, rice-and-herb-stuffed grape leaves alongside a refreshingly herby tabbouleh and that incredible hummus.

For carnivores, the attraction is surely the impressive lineup of sizzling grilled kabobs: beef ($10.95), luleh (seasoned ground beef with grated onion, $7.95), chicken ($5.95 - $9.95), or a combo plate ($11.95).

A family-style meal for $19.95 serves two to four with a choice of two kabobs (chicken or beef), a large Greek salad, grilled tomato, pita and for dessert, baklava from The Baklava Factory in Encino, the only thing Karamian doesn't make on the premises.

Grill Kabob's catering menu can feed parties of six or more starting at just $6 a person, while the child kid's plates (chicken nuggets, chicken kabob, mini-kabob, or hamburger with fries and small drink) run $3.99 - $5.95.

"Like everyone right now, the economy is really hurting us. That's why we brought back the chicken special and our other items at a lower cost," Karamian said. "Once people try our food, they really appreciate the quality and prices."

Amen.

Grill Kabob, 27653 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus; (661) 263-7445 or (661) 263-7449. Open 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Tuesday - Sunday. Beer and wine available.