Last Thursday Matt and I drove up the 101 to Topanga Canyon and took the winding road straight to the PCH (I suppose that's the only place it really goes---besides Topanga State Park and the main thouroughfare of Topanga, which are both along the way). Our normal choice of beach is Zuma, some 30 miles north of Malibu. We've been going there so long that I forgot there are other public beaches all the way up the Malibu coast, none of which I've ever set foot apon. Combined with my desire to go to the Reel Inn, a fish shack just off Topanga on the PCH- this seemed like the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.
First stop--the Reel Inn. Found excellent parking JUST outside the restaurant (this can only be because it was a weekday--they do have a small parking lot, but I'm 100% certain it's a madhouse on weekends). The place really has an idyllic location---I'd call it a shack set between mountain and sea. Sitting on the outdoor patio, you've got an excellent view straight up the Santa Monica Mountains to your left , and to your right, the crest of the Pacific Ocean crashing against the shore. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
Walking into the fish shack, we looked up at the chalkboard menu. Luckily for a Reel Inn virgin like myself, I came with an experienced patron (Matt) and it was less busy than usual (or so Matt tells me), so I had time to review the "rules" of ordering---which are written on a huge red surfboard propped up near the register. Basically, pick your sides and fish-cooking preference ahead of time, so not to slow down the line. I decided to go with the very So-Cal order of fish tacos w/slaw, mashed potatoes and rice. After ordering, we took a seat and waited for our food to be ready (you pick it up from the window yourself). That's when we got to that idyllic setting I mentioned earlier....and ultimately, that was the winning element of the Reel Inn for me. I can't say I thought the fish tacos were anything spectacular (too Salmon-y for me, but that's my own Salmon issue, not yours) and they did mess up my order (I got vegetables instead of mashed--but that's better for me anyway!). I also think the choice of sides is not much of a choice, considering the options are roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, french fries, rice or vegetables---that's a surplus of potatoes! All this being said, the fish is certainly SUPER fresh and I'd love to come back and try something else (I can guarantee I'd like the shrimp tacos more--no mystery fish there!).
But the ambiance and the idea of the place really won me over. The views combined with the fact that you're sitting in a real fish shack eating fresh fish caught from the ocean you are about to frolic in is just too pleasing. I felt like a real local or "sand rat" (thanks Piranha!) eating there and I'll definitely be stopping by again next time I'm in Malibu for a day at the beach.
The final plus of the Reel Inn---we left our car parked on the PCH (after grabbing our beach gear) and walked across the street and down the stairs to Topanga State Beach. It was one of the easiest commutes I've ever had in LA. Topanga Beach felt like a private beach to me. It's much lower than the street level of the PCH, so you feel far away from the madness of that street. It's very scenic----there's sand followed by a rocky crest that goes down to the edge of the ocean. Seemed to be a favorite spot for surfers--there were many out that day. Matt and I decided we weren't going to swim (it was a chilly 76--especially being so close to the water's edge, the sea breeze kept us from getting even close to warm). So we decided to set our chairs down in the sand just above the rocks. If swimming was your goal, you'd want to walk further south, past the rocky sections, where the water reaches just plain old sand. But for our purposes, I thought it was the perfect setting. I got the chance to read a signifcant chunk of my current book (The Passage----so far so good, although the creatures are more Vampire than Zombie--EW lied to me!) and gaze out over the rocks at the surfers and crashing waves.
Final word--a great beach for reading and sunning, but if you've got swimming or general beach-type activities on your mind, you need one with more space and better access to the water.
Matt's notes: I love the Reel Inn. Were it closer, I'd take a laptop there to eat and write and watch the people come and go for hours. The downside of that plan is that it's Malibu, and this beach shack ain't cheap. As for the beach, it's not one of my favorites - narrow and rocky across a large portion of it, which forces those that want to be able to walk into the water (and maybe swim?) to a subsection of the beach on the southern half. Surfers can take better advantage of the water here because they're not tied to the rocky seabed.
