Santa Clarita Restaurant Guide

It's a long, winding drive up Bouquet Canyon Road to the historic Big Oaks lodge. The Big Oaks in itself has a tremendous history, being built before the 1920s as a stagecoach stop. It caught on as a popular place for movie stars to relax from the 1930s through the 1950s, when stars such as Mary Pickford built cabins in the forest. Its legendary history as a hangout for the stars includes rumors, such as the one about gangster "Pretty Boy" Floyd once coming in to use the phone as he was making a getaway. The lodge went through different owners, with the previous owners, Diana White and John Smyth having The Big Oaks Lodge for 27 years, and using a part of the property to train boxers such as Michael Dokes. Diana has worked for Michael and Terrie Milligan, since 2004 at Stone International, Inc. When Milligan, who did granite for Cavi in Newhall, approached Antonio Viscito for the second location, he was excited by the opportunity to grow. "He saw the potential," Milligan said. However, the potential needed a little bit of work. The bar is considered to be a popular stop for motorcycle riders on weekends, but the building - especially the dining room - needed work. They replaced booths from the 1960s with tables and chairs, repaired the roof and removed the boxing ring, where fighters were trained, to create a patio for al fresco dining. "It needed a fresh breath of air," Milligan said. Tony's dad, Vincenzo, came out from Naples to teach the chefs how to make 12-inch, Naples-style pizzas. The owners hope to expand, adding brunches for Easter, Mother's Day and live bands on Sundays during the summer months. In addition, they hope to include catering and special events, such as weddings. "The business plan is to make it worth the drive," Milligan said, adding that the lodge, with the romantic backdrop of the forest and the open road make for an interesting location, not to mention its history. "It's a feeling of nosta