Down-Home Meets Upscale

White linen and Napa Valley boutique wines at the rowdy Deer Lodge? Candlelight and filet mignon, too? It can’t be true, you say. Think again.

The venerable biker bar, located on the woodsy Maricopa Highway north of Ojai, is undergoing some big changes ushered in by new ownership.

Jerry Kenton and Lisa Hicks, who also operate Wine Lovers in Ventura, purchased the Deer Lodge in October and have been renovating it ever since.

Built in 1932, the communal joint is famously popular as a watering hole for Harley Davidson devotees and locals, who converge for beers on tap, a game of pool and weekend barbecues.

Kenton and Hicks’ revisionist idea of Deer Lodge is to maintain its outback appeal while injecting a stylish attitude.

“We want it to be rustic, casual,” Hicks said, “with a little bit of gourmet elegance.”

To that end, gone are the two pool tables to create a roomier dining space.

Renovations include a new stone fireplace and an overhauled, expanded kitchen, plus a soon-to-open “tropical” patio for outdoor dining.

The aesthetics have been spiffed up with 17 new palm trees, fresh floral arrangements, and linen and candles for each table.

Chef Anthony Gillespie, formerly of the Ojai Valley Inn, is in charge of the kitchen. He has overseen the implementation of vastly upgraded breakfast and lunch fare, plus the now 2-week-old dinner menu.

In prior times, the mention of “wild game” at Deer Lodge might have described the roughhousing going on at the bar. Nowadays, it could be a reference to black pepper-crusted elk loin or oven-roasted squab, just two of the dinner entrees featured on a meaty menu.

Other entree highlights: free-range rabbit braised in a Chardonnay-Dijon demiglace; and venison loin roasted and served with a black cherry and brandy sauce.

There are also New York and porterhouse steaks, rack of lamb and beef stroganoff.

The seafood-minded might consider salmon peppernata, a Cajun-spiced fillet with a red pepper and orange sauce, or halibut limon.

Entrees--served with a choice of side dish and fresh vegetables--range from $10.50 to $22.95.

A wine list features mostly California vintners, plus French champagne.

It should also be mentioned for longtime patrons: The Wednesday night all-you-can-eat pasta policy continues, as do Sunday barbecues, which regularly attract hundreds of thundering motorcycles. “The bikers still love it,” Hicks said. “We’re not going yuppie; we’re staying rustic.”

DETAILS

Deer Lodge is at 2261 Maricopa Highway, Meiners Oaks. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. The bar remains open till 2 a.m. Sun.: open for breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by a barbecue, 2-6 p.m. There is no regular menu dinner service on Sundays. Breakfast is served all day, every day. Call 646-4256.

Rodney Bosch writes about the restaurant scene in Ventura County and outlying points. He can be reached at 653-7572, fax 653-7576 or by e-mail at: rodney.bosch@latimes.com.