The Central Coast area of California runs roughly from Santa Barbara to Santa Cruz giving sweeping ocean views, vast areas of open grasslands, rolling hills and little secreted away hideouts where you can find the best that California has to offer. The Range is just such a place. It does not have a website, is located in Santa Margarita which is between San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles, a town of less than 1,300 residents and Google Maps will misdirect you if you’re not careful. But it’s the food that make people find it despite all of that.
What Chef Jeff Jackson has created is at once modern and rustic. The location is not what most restauranteurs would choose to get exposure. It’s across the street from a liquor store and post office and behind the railroad tracks in a one horse town that seems to close up around sundown most days. But once you’re inside the restaurant you’re greeted by a friendly and professional staff, classic country music and indoor or outdoor seating options.
The Range is not a typical steakhouse you can find in any city across the US. It is more comfortable, friendly, casual but above all it does not offer decent steak at a high price, it offers great steak at a fair price. Not that steak is the only thing on the menu, you will find chicken, pork, lamb, pasta and other dishes based on availability and season.
The first thing you’re presented with is an assortment of bread that offers a little something for everyone.
If you only try one make sure it’s the cornbread. Though you really cannot go wrong with any of the options. Served warm enjoy it with a nice local Paso Robles wine.
Though I did not have an appetizer the Dragon’s Breath comes highly recommended. The name comes from the effect of wonderfully roasted garlic.
But if you’re like me you can’t wait to move on to the main course. Steaks are in the $30 range but are better than most I’ve had at significantly higher prices. The filet is offered with blue cheese though for some crazy reason the person who ordered it in my party chose not to get it. As seen below it is medium and cut in half for a modest $4 split charge (I was with tweens who can’t polish off an entire steak).
The steaks are served with a good sized portion vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes and topped with the most delicious onion strings to ever grace a plate.
While the filet was buttery smooth and expertly prepared any steak lover will insist on something with a little more fat in it to provide the best natural flavor. To that end the coffee crusted rib eye is really the only way to go. The subtle coffee flavor is more of an accent than an overbearing ingredient. It is topped with a creamy sauce and served on the same garlic mash and vegetables.
In comparison to the filet, rib eye is a flavor wonderland. The nicely marbled meat, coffee, and sauce all blend together to form what could easily be the perfect steak. I have an after picture to match the before picture from above, but it’s really just an empty plate.
For desert the meyer lemon pound cake with fresh berries and ice cream is hard to beat. It offers the light tartness of the meyer lemons and the sweetness of fresh berries. The ice cream is really just there for decadence.
The wine list is respectable but if you feel like bringing your own the corking fee is $15. Also, they do not accept credit cards so be sure to bring enough cash or visit the ATM across the street before the liquor store closes.
To properly program your GPS you’ll want to set it to 22317 El Camino Real, Santa Margarita, CA. If you don’t see any parking out front just pull around back or head over to the post office.
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