A sustainable menu and inviting ambiance ensure this bicycle friendly Valley eatery won’t be derailed
By Abigail Lewis
Whether they arrive on two wheels or four, from the beach or points east and north, diners at the new Pedaler’s Fork will be delighted to discover what has so obviously been missing in the West Valley: a destination restaurant. Ah, but this is no ordinary dining establishment. The ample space that once housed Fin’s has been pushed, pulled and expanded into a soaring, light-filled dining room, bar (with embedded ice strip) offering 35 beers on tap, winding patio on a creek, café, and high-end bicycle retail and repair shop. Founded by the colorful duo of Robbie Schaeffer, a scion of the OPI nail polish empire, and restaurateur Tim Rettele, Pedaler’s Fork offers something for everyone, including kids.
Late afternoon sunlight filtered through the many windows and reflected off the gleaming bar as we arrived. Overcome by the
plethora of beer choices, we happily sampled several in taster glasses. The impressive line-up includes a diverse craft selection along with perennial favorites such as Chimay, seldom seen on tap, which is arguably the best way to enjoy a frosty tall one.
Dinner by a burbling creek is usually a pleasure reserved for the northwest, but in this stretch of old town, the Calabasas wash has been cleaned and landscaped with native species. Before sitting down in the cool of the early evening, we ogled magnificent, light-as-a-feather Moots bikes (be prepared to max out your credit card) while nibbling tasty ahi, salmon with sour cream, and beef slider hors d’oeuvres. The restaurant goes to great lengths to procure sustainably raised, pastured meats and fish, and locally sourced organic produce, so despite our demanding standards, we felt we could relax and enjoy.
The menu shows great attention to specific dietary requests, so for example, if you’re dairy and gluten free you can still enjoy a baby kale Caesar salad made with almond tofu Caesar dressing and potato croutons. Steamed black mussels with coconut green curry are both sweet and salty, and fava bean hummus is a refreshing change from the more typical garbanzos.
We bypassed the exotic cocktail menu and opted instead for a glass of wine with our Grimaud Farms duck breast, served with dried cherry and pistachio alongside roasted beets and quinoa; and pan-roasted Skoona Bay salmon with kohlrabi and roasted cauliflower. Everything was beautiful and delicious (thanks Chef Dan Murray!) and portions were perfectly sized.
The seasonal fruit cobbler was apple, with an oat-brown sugar crumble, happily not overly sweet. However, traditionally cobbler begs a creamy accompaniment rather than sorbet; next time I’ll ask if they can substitute.
Entrée prices are generally mid-20s, but there are plenty of more modestly priced sandwich, salad and burger selections, and some of the breakfast menu items (they serve three meals) carry over throughout the day.
As residents of the West Valley we’re overjoyed to have a beautiful nearby dining option with sustainable, tasty choices. Pedaler’s Fork has had a few minor bumps with their start-up—with such an ambitious enterprise it’s hardly surprising—but certainly not enough to keep us away. Look for us when you go; we’re bound to become regulars.
23504 Calabasas Rd., Calabasas 91302. 818.225.8231
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