The steakhouse concept is one Tony Fasulo is no stranger to.
The restaurateur spent over two decades serving as general manager at Landry’s Inc.’s Morton’s The Steakhouse concept, most recently in Costa Mesa.
Earlier this month, Fasulo reached yet another milestone in his career, opening his steakhouse Old Brea Chop House in the city’s downtown, in a spot along Brea Boulevard that’s owned by Dwight Manley, the area’s main landlord.
The 5,500-square-foot restaurant employs about 50 people, serving up hand-selected, hand-cut steaks, cocktails, charcuterie and salads.
What’s the restaurant’s main idea? A quality experience doesn’t require a big wallet (dinner for two runs about $50) or drive in traffic to a major market.
Goals: “The only reason why I got into the restaurant business is because I wanted to own my own restaurant. The last 20 years I was with Morton’s. It came to a point where I felt it was time for me to take a leap of faith and start my own project.”
Site Selection: “North Orange County has nothing like this and we felt like Brea, it’s been gentrifying. Downtown Brea’s becoming a hub.”
On Growth: “I do [want to open more restaurants]. I’m a very goal-driven person and I love constant challenges and change. My team and I are similar personalities and skill sets and this restaurant we would love to grow.”
Market Positioning: “I’ve worked in a lot of high-profile steakhouses—steakhouses being super pricey and exclusive. What I wanted to do is bring an exclusive feel and classy, upscale steakhouse and make it approachable. So you’re going to have that high-profile experience. It’s going to have that sizzle feeling of a big night out. You don’t have to go to Newport Beach or Los Angeles. We wanted to bring that feeling to downtown Brea.”
Lessons Learned: “Thirty-five years in the industry and the No. 1 one thing that I learned, and it’s my mission statement, is just people first. I’ve always said we’re in the people business. Whether it be the staff or the guest who walks in the door. Anyone can buy a high-profile product … It’s the people that separates us.”
Changes: “When I first started in the restaurant industry, I was 16 years old at a small, independent restaurant where everything had that personal, hand touch come out of every plate. Things have evolved into mass production. I want to bring back my grassroots of hand selecting products, hand selecting people, keeping it personalized where a guest comes through the door and they don’t feel they’re just a number. It’s a place you really connect with.”
