Malibu Inn Restaurant Offers a Rustic Atmosphere and Great Food

By Pete Allman

The great aspects of dining out are not just good food and great service, but rather the atmosphere in which you dine. The Malibu Inn Restaurant ( http://www.themalibuinn.com/ ) , which dates back to the 1920's, when it was across the street, where the Malibu Pier is today, has a long history.

In the 50's the restaurant moved across the street, according to waitress, Rebecca Bocian. It wasn't long before Niel Young purchased the restaurant in the 70's, that the Malibu Inn Restaurant became world famous for their top name entertainment such as Eric Clapton, Stevie Nicks and today, Walter Egan who wrote, "Hot Summer Nights". 

Mr. Egan's band, the Ma, is in the pocket with all genres of music, especially that of Niel Young. But, enough of that already. Let's journey onto my guests who joined me for this festive occasion.

First and foremost is, Gloria Rhoads Berlin, a former food and travel critic for the former Times Mirror Newspaper and author of the book, "In Search of Neverland", who has traveled throughout Southern California experiencing tasty foods. My second guest, Ed Magik, is a producer of various video content for YouTube and various networks, who appreciates the art of preparing food.

Malibu Inn Restaurant has a friendly staff, starting with the hostess, Rufaro Walls-Lumbly, whose knowledge of the restaurant was appreciated. Our waitress, Rebecca Bocian, was extremely colorful and pleasant. The decor of historical restaurant and concert hall is a rustic setting with hand painted murals throughout the restaurant. It's an old western setting, with its own poolroom, bar-lounge area and an outside patio with heaters for nippy evenings. We were especially intrigued with the murals, "who's mommies little piggy" and "everybody loves a party."

Ah, here's the culinary journey presented by Chef Justin Lewis. Gloria Berlin experienced the Salmon with roasted asparagus. Ed Magik partook in the Baby Back Ribs and I ordered the lemon whole chicken. The side dishes included mashed sweet potato and each of my guests had the Manhattan Clam Chowder and the Mesclun Salad. The results were pleasant. "The Manhattan Clam Chowder had an excellent kick to it. "It reminded me of Gumbo, with its celery and seasoning of red pepper", stated Ed Magik. Gloria Berlin's comment was, "I love the sweet potato, and my salmon was delightful".  I confer with both my guests, including my lemon chicken. 

The only improvement I would make is in the preparation of the sauce for the baby back ribs. Like with all good salads for example, the dressing makes the salad. Thus the sauce for ribs adds to the dining experience. Old man Stubbs [C.B. Stubblefield] made a spicy sauce that is quite popular from Austin, Texas. That's all it needed.

Like all good meals, one must indulge in desert. That is, once in awhile for those of us who are watching our calorie intake. In our final dining experience, the Red Velvet case passed with ease for everyone. My most enduring moment however, was the Cappuccino with Pumpkin Cheese Cake. Wow, that hit the spot. Oh, the cinnamon in the Cappuccino is good for lowering blood pressure. Now that's a great way to enjoy dining and watch your health too.

On an overall scale of 1 through 10 for service and a fun atmosphere, Celebrity Scene News rates Malibu Inn Restaurant a 10. On the quality of food, we give a rating of 9, with a moderate price range for Malibu, ranging from side dishes for $6 to rib dishes for $25. We suggest you come as you are for a fun evening of dining music and meeting people.

Pete Allman is a Las Vegas-based commentator, broadcast personality and celebrity interviewer. He also produces inspirational messages for television and other media. Contact him at peteonthescene@yahoo.com or (702)265-9099. Visit www.CelebrityScene.com

This article edited by Ed Magik for Ed Magik TV Blog.