Old Range Steakhouse serves up great steaks in Tahoe Vista.
When you think of enduring attractions, Paris’ Eiffel Tower, Coney Island’s boardwalk, and San Francisco’s cable cars may come to mind. Nearer to home, we have Lake Tahoe’s Old Range Steakhouse. OK, maybe it’s a stretch, linking Tahoe Vista’s steakhouse to those icons. Still, Old Range Steakhouse has been a beloved institution at Tahoe for 28 years, drawing locals and tourists year-round.
Inside, as always, the atmosphere is a jumble of classic, vintage décor and an assortment of fascinating stuff. Take, for example, the bust of a mermaid hanging from the ceiling on bawdy-red velvet cords and old, brown, leather-upholstered booths (some tattered and taped) to match the casual atmosphere. It is like dining in a rustic antique shop with a lake view.
John Morrissey, owner of the steakhouse, is originally from Illinois. He came to Tahoe Vista from Chicago in 1996 to work as a cook at the restaurant for George Boorus, the original owner and Morrissey’s good friend. In 2017, he bought the restaurant from Boorus, who retired.
Many people come to the steakhouse, look around, and tell him, “I remember coming here 20 years ago, and it’s just the same.”
“I’m keeping it just the same,” Morrissey says, adding that the only change he made was an exterior facelift and the installation of a sleek new front door
Meaty Details
Old Range is noted for its steaks (big and small) and prime rib: “Prime rib has been a specialty since the beginning,” Morrissey says.
It’s not surprising when you know the back story. The prime rib is salt roasted, meaning it’s wrapped in a layer of salt before roasting for two to three hours. After the meat is cooked to perfection, the salt and layer of fat are scraped off. Served with house-made horseradish sauce and au jus, the steak is worth the drive to Tahoe. Juicy, tender, savory with a flash of salty flavor, the prime rib is heaven on a plate.
As for the steaks — well-aged meat from corn-fed Midwestern cattle — they are chargrilled to order. Prep is easy; it’s a dash of salt and nothing more.
“Our locals say, ‘Leave it alone; we like it pure,’” Morrissey says.
All steaks are served with a house-made, demi-glazed cabernet-mushroom sauce. A petit filet, served one evening, was full of flavor and so tender, it cut like butter. The sauce’s hints of red wine coupled beautifully with the meat.
Other meat dishes include the ever-popular St. Louis-style barbecue ribs and lamb shank (“My favorite,” Morrissey says). And for non-carnivores, the steakhouse offers two vegetarian dishes and three pasta entrées. Hint: The gnocchi is a big hit.
Classics of Sorts
A steakhouse classic is hearts of palm salad. Old Range’s version features the crunchiest iceberg lettuce ever, large chunks of hearts of palm, slivered almonds, and a lively raspberry vinaigrette. Greek spinach, Caesar, and blue cheese wedge salads also are offered. Salads are huge and dressed for a table of four. The lettuces are so fresh, it’s as if they were picked straight from the garden.
Red wines are a steakhouse must. Typically, a wine list is delivered to you in a thick, heavy, leather-bound book. Not at Old Range Steakhouse. Around 70 bottles, in the collection of predominately California red wines, are displayed on a wall. You select a bottle and take it to the table. Your server takes it from there.
Another steakhouse classic, the giant baked potato, has been replaced here, with little argument, by garlic-mashed potatoes. It’s a hit among diners.
And save room for dessert. The peppermint ice cream from Hoch Family Creamery in Minden is luscious. The same goes for the cheesecake and the chocolate brownie sundae, all made in house.
Superb Service
The restaurant employs three to four servers — friendly and smiling even in crunch time — who also play bartender, making cocktail orders or pouring wines for their individual tables. Two cooks (one of them Morrissey) take care of the kitchen. They make sauces, dressings, and desserts, then they handle cooking for the evening shift.
It’s hard work, but worth it. And Morrissey is proud of them.
“We are a small staff and tightly knit. Most of our employees have been here for 15-plus years,” Morrissey says. “I am proud of working with them and knowing the same people for all these years.”
Old Range Steakhouse
7081 N. Lake Blvd., Tahoe Vista
530-546-4800 · Steakhousetahoe.com
Open daily 5 – 9 p.m. Sun. – Thurs., 5 – 10 p.m. Fri. – Sat.
Reservations strongly suggested
Hearts of Palm Salad
(courtesy of John Morrissey, owner, Old Range Steakhouse in Tahoe Vista. Serves 4)
2 medium heads iceberg lettuce
14 to 15 ounces hearts of palm (canned or jarred)
½ cup almonds, toasted and slivered
Cut iceberg lettuce into big chunks. Rinse in cold water; spin to dry. Place in large serving bowl. Dress salad, tossing gently to cover lettuce.
Drain hearts of palm in colander, then slice diagonally as preferred, into small or large pieces. Add desired amount, along with slivered almonds, to salad. Toss lightly and serve.
For raspberry vinaigrette
1 cup mayonnaise
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¾ cup fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon raspberry extract
Dash of salt
Dash of curry powder
Place all ingredients in a medium bowl. With large wooden spoon, mix well. Set aside until ready to dress salad.
