At Meadowlark GC, quality food mixes with a long history to make the perfect neighborhood hang.

As I pulled into the parking lot at Meadowlark GC in Huntington Beach, a wave of nostalgia almost knocked me out of my FootJoys.

This century-old facility was a vibrant echo of the parkland municipal course of my teenage years in suburban Detroit. Little did I know then that Rackham GC was the handiwork of legendary architect Donald Ross — all I knew was that it cost five bucks to play and offered free summer lessons to keep mischievous delinquents like me off the streets.

Meadowlark — managed by Arcis Golf — also has a distinguished lineage: It’s designed by William P. Bell of The Riviera CC and Bel-Air CC fame and is Orange County’s oldest surviving track. As I ambled from car to pro shop, I passed an array of salty local characters straight out of Central Casting.

An ancient mariner with a golden retriever at his feet puffed on a dime-store stogie and wore white socks adorned with a green and white flagstick; three Gen Zers cracked wise as they shared a breakfast burrito on the terrace, facetiously offering me a bite as I passed by. I politely declined. It was just past 11 a.m.

The morning calm was shattered by the pro shop starter calling out teetimes through a metallic loudspeaker — “11:15, Long Beach Rotary foursome on tee” — while a gray-haired “ambassador” slowly glided by in a golf cart outfitted with two American flags and a quart-sized Thermos of coffee.

I toured the clubhouse to work up an appetite for lunch and passed numerous trophy- and plaque-laden glass cases honoring past SCGA tournament winners. Men’s Club members were urged to contact Sean Barbosa to arrange Saturday tee-times, and that the “side action sheet is in the bar with Ruben, please sign and pay with him.”

As enticing as that sounded, I proceeded through the full-service Lark Lounge — where pick-me-up adult libations were already flowing — and bellied up to the lunch counter, where the ever-affable Rogelio Bautista was handling a steady stream of hungry hackers. Breakfast is served until 1 p.m. and features the aforementioned burrito and a sandwich dubbed “B.A.T.E.” indicating bacon, arugula, tomatoes and eggs on sourdough toast (with garlic aioli and either tater tots or fruit). Frankly they had my attention at arugula, an unexpected culinary surprise and hardly the usual halfway-house fare. Props to head chef Rochelle Le and F&B director August Bordonaro for that notable touch of class.

Your intrepid investigative gourmand was tipped-off to the legendary Lark Dog — a butterflied, quarter-pound all-beef tube steak laden with sauteed onions and peppers and pickled jalapeños. Rogelio jotted down my order and smiled, then recommended onion rings on the side. I dutifully complied and added an order of the chicken tenders just to make my cholesterol-fighting statin meds worth the price of the prescription. “Buttermilk ranch, honey mustard or BBQ sauce?” he asked, and I said ‘yes please’ to all of the above.

Twelve scant minutes later, I repaired with the grub and a diet soda (a nod to caloric modesty) to an outside table, where the percussive thwack of 35 driving range bays pierced the air. Lo and behold, the snappy hot dog was actually hot and replete with grill marks and a toasted bun. The thinly pounded bird breast tenders were decidedly ungreasy and as crunchy as a well-struck 5-iron. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t make quick and joyful work of every last bite, a testimony to both the ingredients and the conscientious preparation. Old-school but summa cum laude fare to be sure.

Patrons choosing to sup indoors will find the interior newly spiffed-up. The lounge is festooned with big-screens for sports fans, and the barkeep will gladly pour you a flagon of cold Lark Lager, the signature house-branded light beer favored by regulars.

Thankfully, the Lark Lounge isn’t pretending to be some glitzed-out hipster haven. After 104 years, it’s content being the venerable older kid on the block — comfortable, dependable and infused by boisterous fellowship and love for the game. Side action optional.