Classic Steak houses of the Central Coast / Merry Christmas

Classic Steak Houses of the Central Coast

When Betty and I moved to Arroyo Grande in 1981, I had never even heard of a Tri-Tip roast.  And we enjoyed stopping at the bar-b-que stands along Broadway in Santa Maria for the classic oak wood fired meats, pinquito beans and salsa.  Eventually, we got to the many of the well known steakhouses from Shell Beach to Casmalia.  One of the most famous in the area that was always on top of the local’s list was jocko’s in Nipomo.  Maybe it was that I never got to the east side of Nipomo, or maybe it was that the other great names came to mind first.  However, better late than never, finally, 30 years later, Betty and I made it to the world famous Jocko’s Steak house in Nipomo.

First, let’s review the other Central Coast Classics.  As a young Mud Engineer, recently advanced from Mud Puppy to accomplished Mud Dog, I was transferred to the Santa Maria Valley to service the drilling boom in exploration and development in the area when in 1981.  With oil prices were steady at $20 / bbl,  the 8 gravity heavy oil in Cat Canyon was under heavy development by Getty and Texaco.  And Unocal was drilling wells in the broccoli and artichoke fields, on the oak covered hills in Orcutt and along the beach in Guadalupe.  With an expense account and customers to entertain, I had opportunities to explore the local restaurants.  All these restaurants are great and each one has something I find unique. 

Casmalia is a “town” (or more like a street) southwest of Santa Maria in the rolling hills on the way to Vandenberg AFB.  The town is famous for 2 things, a Class I hazardous waste facility and The Hitching Post Restaurant.  It’s a historical stop for the old stage coach. Since the wine boom in the last 20 years, they opened a 2^nd restaurant in the Solvang area, made famous by the movie “Sideways”.  The Casmalia restaurant is a step back in time.  The oak pit is in the middle of the restaurant.  And they serve a small shrimp cocktail with the dinners.  They also have their own wine label which is quite good an excellent value.  The last time I was there, I had a colleague with me from NY and we met my friend who was working on his filter press at the D.E. plant in Lompoc.  We had a bottle of Le Cuvier with dinner that my friend brought, so it must have been about 2005.  The steaks are great and the wine made the meal most memorable.  http://www.hitchingpost1.com/

The small farming town of Guadalupe is on Highways 1 and 166.  There is a small public beach at the end of 166.  The road is often covered by blowing sand and it’s always been cold when I was there.  And just outside town, in the 80’s, Unocal was operating an oilfield along the beach.   The Far Western Tavern is a combination shit-kicker bar and classic Santa Maria Style steakhouse.  You have to walk through the bar to get to the dining room.  There are always some real characters at the bar that seem to be waiting for the dining room to close for hell-raising to start.  I’ve taken customers there for lunch when visiting the ConocoPhillips Refinery up the road.  And we used to visit when we lived in Santa Maria.  The dining room is classic in a western sort of way.  They specialty is a rib-eye steak and the relish try is a standard for many local steakhouses.   If you go at night, don’t be turned away by the small town of Guadalupe that seems like a barrio these days.  It’s a really fun place to visit.  http://www.farwesterntavern.com/dinner.htm

In 1981 at an ocean view table at F. Mclintock’s in Shell Beach I proposed to the love of my life.  It was summer and we were living in Arroyo Grande.  Betty did not say yes right away, but she took the ring.  And since she was pregnant with my baby, it didn’t take her long to come around with a yes.  McLintock’s is a family chain of Taverns and Steakhouses on the Central Coast from Arroyo Grande (Shell Beach) to Paso Robles.  Each has its own personality.  The view of shell beach is awesome at the Arroyo Grande restaurant. The creek side tables at the San Luis Obispo location are delightful and the bar is full of young folks from the college that make a fun spot for lunch.  http://www.mclintocks.com/

Finally after 30 years, I finally made it to Jocko’s in Nipomo.  It was 11:00 Am and they were serving both breakfast and lunch.  Betty and I both had the steak sandwich.  Apparently, they do not have the oak pit fired up for lunch.  The dinner menu has the grilled steaks available.  The lunch steak is grilled on the flat top.  It is a great steak they claim to be 8 oz, but our steaks were a full 16 oz.  It is served with a simple salad, a bowl of salsa and a bowl of pinquito beans.  The steak is placed on 2 pieces of French garlic toast that soaks up the juices.  The steak was cook perfectly and full of flavor.  It’s a great bargain for $12.00.  I have my eye on the dinner filet mignon for my next visit. 

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Chicken breast, breaded and deep fried and tossed in hot wing sauce makes a favorite sandwich for me.  They are hard to find so I usually order them when I see it on a menu.  Generally, they have tons of flavor and are a nice break from a burger. 

Denny’s

When taking customers to lunch in Lost Hills (I-5 and Hwy 46), there are not too many options.  There is a truck stop diner and fast food junk.  And then there is the Denny’s.  And my customers are frequent diners at the Lost Hills Denny’s.  They get greeting and hugs from the waitresses.  And they are on a first name basis with them.  Occasionally, I join them for lunch and I almost always have the Buffalo Chicken Melt sandwich.  It’s on a fresh roll and very moist and juicy with buffalo sauce.  It comes with lettuce & tomato and melted cheese.  I usually get a salad with blue cheese dressing instead of the fries, fooling myself that is it a lower fat, lower calorie option.  And Denny’s also serves a dish of ranch dressing with the sandwich, making it a flavor bomb.

Rocket Shop Café

http://www.rocketshopcafe.com/page1.php

At Bakersfield Municipal Airport, there is a very cool diner.  I went to the Rocket Shop Café for the first time on a business lunch while in the south Union Ave. area.  South Union Ave is not a destination place to eat except for a few exceptions like Great Castle Chinese.  The Rocket Shop Café is also good enough to be a destination restaurant.  There are lots of airplane, jet and flying stuff inside and TV’s with news and sports.  The run way is just outside in view of the dining room. 

I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich that offered a nice portion of quality chicken and a soft fresh roll.  The fries looked good, but I had a side salad.  The burgers looked great and they had some great specials like homemade chicken pot pie. 

Hooter’s

I’ve only been to Hooter’s once “in Bakersfield”.  Some customers wanted to go there for lunch.  They are quite a bit younger than me and seemed rather deprived, like they don’t see too many young girls in skimpy tight cloths.  The girls are nice and mostly very cute.   I had their Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and a side salad.  It was a large boneless chicken breast.  It seemed hand cut because it was an irregular shape and thicker in some spots, like it came from a real chicken.  The chicken and the sauce were good, but the sandwich was on a dry bun with a green tomato slice and wilted lettuce on the side.  It is definitely not the dripping gooey goodness of the Denny’s buffalo chicken melt.  “Melt” seems to be an added benefit to the sandwich.  My companions at Hooter’s finished their lunches without comment and didn’t want to leave.  They keep getting refills of soda and water and lamented how they can’t have beer during lunch at work. 

Since I’m older and remember the good ol’ days, I offer stories about how my customers used to have 4 drinks each day for lunch at places like the Buttonwillow Lumber Yard, Buck’s Steak House in Maricopa and The White Elephant in Taft.  All are gone now and are fading memories of the old timers like me that tell the same stories of the good ol’ days to anyone that will listen.  I can’t believe I’m one of “those guys” now. 

I was at the Original Buck’s Steakhouse in Maricopa when I first came to Bakersfield in 1981.  It was January and my fellow mud engineer that I was working with on a well at Coles Levee took me there after work one morning about 9:00 AM.  I remember the silver dollars in the bar and that we had turkey nuts and beer for breakfast.  That was February and the landmark restaurant bar burnt down in February 1981.  I was working in Rock Springs, Wyoming in February that year and when I got back to Bakersfield, Bucks was gone.  It was rebuilt and thriving for about 10 years after that.  Read some history:

http://www.bakersfield.com/entertainment/local/x746311530/This-is-one-life-that-was-truly-lived

Garman’s Pub

http://garmanspub.com/about-2/

Downtown Santa Paula is a mish mash of shops, stores and the Union Oil Company Oil museum. It can’t really decide if it’s going to be a trendy artsie-fartsi rebirth of an old-west downtown, or a Mexicano barrio shopping district where you go for cheap party favors, pan dulce and Mexican cuts of meat.  So, it’s really both for now it seems.  And in the middle of downtown Santa Paula, there is a very cool Irish Pub called Garman’s Pub.  It’s an old brick building with lots of seating, a pool table and bar.  I have customers in Santa Paula and the lunch options are limited, unless you know all the hidden gems like the restaurant at the Santa Paula Airport. 

I had the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and homemade potato chips for lunch.  The chicken was breaded in a hot and spicy coating and fried and served on a cibata roll.  It had a nice serving of lettuce and tomato but no buffalo wing sauce.  My companion had the ½ Lb. jalapeno cheddar burger.  I think that was spicier than my sandwich.  Garman’s would be a great stop for lunch when driving through the Hwy 126 corridor.  It’s on the main street that parallels 126.  The reviews on line are great. 

Over-all, I have to say my favorite Buffalo Chicken Sandwich is at Denny’s.  I’m sorry, it’s true.  Denny’s wins.  And they are everywhere. 

Clam Chowder Wars

Clam Chowder Wars

I have had several occasions to have clam chowder along the California coast over the last couple weeks.  Clam Chowder always tastes better when it’s made at the ocean.  Not that the clams are necessarily local.  But I think the restaurants that are at the beach and making seafood have the best recipes. Maybe the clam chowder just tastes better when you are at the beach or waterfront.

For example, 2 of my favorite seafood restaurants along the California coast are King’s Fish House and Enterprise Fish Company.  I first found King’s Fish house in renovated downtown Long Beach on Pine Street and Broadway while making call at the refineries in the early 1990’s (God that sounds so long ago).  And Enterprise Fish Company at the train station on State Street in Santa Barbara has been around for years.  These restaurants have a great bar atmosphere and great fresh seafood.  They are both pleasant place to go alone when out of town traveling.  And they both have expanded their restaurants to other areas.  Kings Fish House has 12 restaurants in Arizona, Nevada and California.  They have a great recipe for success with the fun bar, great fresh oysters from Washington state and great side dishes with the fish.  The Mac and cheese is especially tasty.  http://www.kingsfishhouse.com/locations.html

Enterprise Fish Co. is my restaurant of choice when I’m in Santa Barbara.  And they have a restaurant in Santa Monica also.  The wood fired grill and kitchen in the middle of the dining room provides a great atmosphere.  And in Santa Barbara, the college students that work there add a lot of enthusiasm.  http://www.enterprisefishco.com/

The New England clam chowder at both of these restaurants is top of the line and the sourdough bread makes it a meal in itself.

Anyone reading this blog has probably been to the Splash Café in Pismo beach.  The clam chowder at Splash is as great as it getw.  But the Splash offers a seafood topping for an extra $1.  It’s a spoon of crab meat and shrimp that puts it over the top.  And they have the toasted bread bowl that is unique compared the other restaurants. 

Betty and I went to pick up the fall shipment of wine at Le Cuvier in Paso Robles recently.  If I haven’t told you already, Le Cuvier is the best wine that I know of – at any price.  Although there are some great equals, like Ramey in Sonoma, Paoletti in Calistoga, Napa.  And Chateau Margene in Creston is producing some sought after Cab.  The Le Cuvier Wine is amazing.  As part of my normal shipment, I tasted the non-vintage Chardonnay.  It’s non-vintage because it’s from 2005 and 2006 vintages.  The wine has been aging in neutral oak for an average of 5 ½ years.  And the Reds only shipment has a 4 year barrel aged Sangiovaise that is wonderfully mellow and has big fruit like a cab.  We picked up wine for ourselves and 3 other members.  Betty calls me a wine mule.

As I was saying, on our way to Le Cuvier, we stopped for lunch at the Splash Café in San Luis Obispo.  It was our first visit to this location.  I like it because the line is not long, there is more seating and the bakery has some great pastries.  Betty ordered the clam chowder bread bowl and I ordered a pint of chowder.  Betty’s bread bowl is enough sourdough for both of us.  I also ordered fried oysters a la cart.  I don’t need the fries.  We both ordered the seafood topping that adds a nice portion of seafood to the chowder.  We got a table outside, but we were in the sun that was really bright.  It was a very enjoyable meal in spite of the 7 year old kid throwing a tantrum in the parking lot in front of us.  The little boy may have been autistic so I have compassion for him.  The Dad is either a saint or a tool.  He had control and this little boy was upset about something that caused him to scream and run around like a banchee.  A young woman walked by me and said, “I see you have your own entertainment”.  I said sarcastically “yeah, it’s great.  I think I’ll schedule a vasectomy tomorrow”.  (I didn’t really say that, but I wanted to)

http://www.splashcafe.com/

Recently, I visited Long Beach on business and ate lunch at a seafood place that I have seen but never stopped at, Beth 55 fish market and deli.  It’s at a sport fishing dock at pier C on Pico Ave.  The chowder is equally as good as the other greats and the fish is grilled fresh and generous portions are served.  The atmosphere is not so great.  The seating is outside overlooking the boats and industrial harbor and some of the tables were still wet after the morning wash down.  But it is a less costly option for great seafood and chowder when Kings Fish House downtown is not convenient.  http://www.berth55fishmarket.com/

And further south at San Clemente, the fisherman’s Restaurant is at the San Clemente Pier.  The view can’t be beat.  The Clam Chowder is tops also.  But they charge $3.25 for the hot bread, but I guess that is the going rate for overlooking the San Clemente beach.  I’ve eaten here many times over the years and recommend it for a great meal and some of the best atmosphere there is.  http://www.thefishermansrestaurant.com/

So, who has the best clam chowder?  Is it fair to say that it’s all equally great once I add the tobacco sauce?  All the above chowders use potatoes sparingly, which is good.  King’s Fish house offers a Cajun garlic sauce that is superior to the tobacco sauce I normally use.  And for the view, Fisherman’s at San Clemente is the best.  But the overall winner considering the clam chowder alone has got to be the Splash café with the seafood topping and a side of fried oysters and some of Betty’s toasted bread bowl.  I could do without the screaming kid though. 

I survived the killer Kern - La Costa Mariscos

I survived the Killer Kern- La Costa Mariscos

Almost every weekend during this summer I read reports of people drowning in the Kern River.  In fact, the death toll for this summer stands at 15 souls.  I have been tubing down the Kern River almost every summer for 25 years.  And in the back of my mind is always the sign posted at the entrance to the Kern River Canyon that advises people to stay out of the River.  The sign is updated with the total # of people that have lost their lives in this river.  The total is 257 + 15 this year = 272 people.   Tubing activities are done downstream of the canyon so I don’t see the sign too often. 

My first experience on the Kern River was about 1985.  Since my babies were little, Betty took out extra life insurance on me when she learned that I was going to take kayak lessons in the river.  The first lessons were in the pool at Rio Bravo Resort and the lake at the golf course.  Learning how to roll the kayak is a key maneuver that should be mastered.  It’s one thing to roll the kayak around in the pool, and another thing to roll it in the turbulent river.  Shortly after launching the kayak in the river with my instructors, the current and waves flipped me upside down.  Holding my breath and concentrating on the roll maneuver and not making it, just to go back upside down without a breath was frightening.  Panic strikes.  Instinct kicks in.  Bail out by pulling the bladder that keeps the water out.  I finally got a breath, just to find myself washing down the turbulent river over rocks and logs, the kayak going one way, the paddle going another way.   And my instructors helping to gather the equipment and meeting me at a calm eddy to try again.  “Let’s practice that roll maneuver again, here where it’s calm”.  After multiple near drowning and frustration, I thought, “this sucks”.  Then I saw some people sitting in inner tubes, floating down the river, relaxing, laughing and drinking beer.  Now this is what I’m talking about.  That was my last kayak lesson. 

I have enjoyed each time I went inner tubing down the river.  I have taken friends, my brother and Dad, friends from work and customers.  We launch at the parking lot on Rancheria Road.  We drop one car at the Lake Ming camp ground or at Hart Park.  Yesterday, being a Holiday weekend, it was really crowded on the River.   The guy I was with had never done this before.  At the launch site, 2 large parties of young adults were gathering.  When my friend had a hard time getting in his tube and started being drawn into the willows, I thought, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.  I helped him get out to the middle of the river while giving some last minute instructions that I should have gone over with him before we were headed for the rapids. 

“You need to get your arms deeper in the water so you can get some power in your stroke”  “Paddle harder”  “Stay away from the willows”  “Not that way, paddle out here”  “\See all the white water and turbulence ahead?  Those are bid boulders.  If you get flipped, just hold on to your tube.  Forget about everything else.”  The speed of the current really picked up as we approached the rapids. The water is churning and the paddling is almost worthless at this point.  Either you positioned yourself well or you didn’t.  “Try not to go over the boulders”, I shouted and the noise of the rapids is really loud and the current is taking us in different directions.  “Paddle harder”.  “Follow me”.  “Hold on”.  “Here we go”. 

The exhilaration increases and the excitement turns to fear and doubt as I go over the submerged boulders and the 3’ high waves and turbulence.   I come out of it still on my inner tube but on a rapid pace that carries me downstream and away from my friend who just flipped over and is fighting for his life.  He has one arm over the inner tube and one hand holding his flop flop.  The other flip flop is floating away.  His hat is gone, consumed by the torrent.  “Just hold on” I shout.  “I’ll get the other shoe”. 

There is a look on one’s face after coming out of these rapids on an inner tube.  It’s one of excitement and a shit eating grin when you get through intact on the tube.  Or, it’s fear and dread when you pop up to the surface and you realize how much power the river has and how little control you actually have and how you could have just drowned. 

I back paddle as hard as I can until he catches up to me.  “WOW, wasn’t that a blast.  You made it”.  Here’s you other shoe.  Your hat is gone.  But you’re lucky you still have your glasses.  I’ve lost shoes, hats, glasses, beer and cigars back there.  My friend must have been thinking of the mountain bike ride I took him on in the Sierras last month.  He said to me, “How do you survive?”  I laughed.

“That’s the worst of rapids”, I explain.  “It’s really relaxing from here on out, except for one other place.”  The rest of the float trip was great.  And the second set of rapids was no problem.  We got out at the Lake Ming camp ground an hour later and had a couple of beers. 

After retrieving my car at the launch site parking lot, we stopped in downtown Bakersfield and had dinner at La Costa Mariscos Mexican Restaurant. La Costa has been a family favorite since it opened about 20 years ago.  The owner was a waitress at El Torito on California before she opened La Costa.  I don’t see her there any more, I think she’s retired.  It’s a great Bakersfield success story.  They specialize in Mexican seafood and other classic Mexican dishes.  The food is great.  The salsa is fresh made and chunky.  My friend and I both ordered the Campechana, Mexican seafood cocktail.  I used to drive to Ensenada to get campechana like this.  It has shrimp, octopus and scallops in a great tomato juice sauce.  My favorite dish at La Costa is the seafood that is cooked in a red chile, butter and garlic sauce (Al Ajillo).  It has shrimp, fish, scallops and octopus in it.  The margaritas are made with an agave wine.  So if I plan ahead, I bring a flask of tequila to add to it. 

La Luz Del Dia.

“You can’t lose with La Luz”

It was 1960 and the family was out on the occasional Sunday dinner at Olvera Street in downtown L.A.  Three rascally little boys ages 7, 5 and 4 are kneeling down on the stairs looking through the railings at the kitchen activity below.  The red tile floors and hand painted tile murals on the walls told of a different culture still unknown but somehow familiar.  The ladies below in colorful aprons are grinding masa and slapping the little balls of the dough into thick chewy tortillas in silent toil.  The hot stove is cooking the flat cakes until they bubble up, then being turned by the bare hands just in time before being added to the ever disappearing stack.  The rhythm of the ladies slapping the tortillas by hand could be heard from outside.  It’s hypnotizing to the boys as they watched from above, almost forgetting how hungry they were.  I was the 5 year old.  Jeff was seven and Derek was a year and a half younger than me.

Dad always ordered for all of us from the sparse menu at the front of the line.  It was a good thing as Mom didn’t know the difference between carnitas and nopales and couldn’t speak Spanish anyway.  Dad spoke Spanish when he ordered and to the waiter that carried the trays of food to the table that Mom had found in the small dining room.  When the table was set with dinner, we raced down the stairs to eat.  We watched Dad as he tore the tortillas in half and filled them with the fresh chopped carnitas, refried beans and salsa.  We copied him like we did at Sunday morning breakfast when he mixed hot sauce with his poached eggs.  And when he used chop sticks at the Chinese restaurant in Chinatown.

 The rice at La Luz was like our grandmother made, moist and fluffy with just the right amount of tomato sauce.  A spoon full of guacamole completed the Carnitas plate.  And Dad always ordered a variety of dishes like picadillo (beef stew with red chile), tamales and chicharon tacos.  After dinner we walked through the stalls on Olvera Street selling thrilling delights that were irresistible to little boys.  We would look and dream as such frivolous delights were unattainable.  If we were lucky and pestered Dad enough, we might get an Astro pop, the hard candy multi-colored pop shaped like a slender cone.  Twirling it just right and resisting biting it would result in a sharp point that was a great threat to each other. 

La Luz Del Dia has not change much over the years.  Some of the staff has retired and the owner passed the restaurant down to his son.  They added a dining room and outdoor seating years ago.  And occasionally, the prices would go up.  By the time I was 21, I noticed that they served beer.  It was a unique place to take a girl and for $20 I could tell in one date if a girl was worth seeing again.  The hand shaping of the tortillas has given way to a press, but they are just a thick and chewy as ever.  Of course Betty loved it as did Dana and Lia.  So it has remained a family favorite for 50 years.  Where else to meet with friends and family on my 55^th birthday celebration, but La Luz Del Dia in Olvera Street? 

Thanks to all who rode the train, paid $9 to park or drove all the way from San Jose to wish me a happy birthday.  I am deeply touched.

Lamb dip Throw Down

Lamb Dip Throw Down

French dip sandwiches are common in a lot of restaurants, especially for lunch.  They are especially popular at Bakersfield’s Basque restaurants.  For me the only dip at a Basque restaurant is a lamb dip.  I’ve been eating them for years and I have come up with a favorite.  I think.  For now.

The typical Basque lamb dip comes with aus jus, a salad and fries.

The Pyrenees Cafe has a good lamb dip, but I don’t like the salad or the salsa.  The salad has funky stuff in it like cucumbers.  It’s more like a vegetable medley than a salad.  And I like veggies and cucumbers in my salad, but not at Basque.   

Narducci's Cafe is like a Basque restaurant turned biker bar.  They have a nice lunch menu but lamb dips are not always available.  You might have to have a hamburger instead, which is also great.  The bartender was a cutie though and made up for any other deficiencies in the place.

I had a lamb dip at Wool Growers Restaurant last week.  I really like the salad with the side of marinated tomatoes and peppers. It’s a Woolgrower’s standard.  The sandwich however was only mediocre.  The lamb was sliced thin and was dried out in spots.  How does that happen?  The table next to me was having filet mignon for lunch.  That looked really good.  What am I doing eating a lamb dip?

Once in a while I’ll get to Noriega Restaurant & Hotel and I’ll miss the seating at noon or not want the big spread they always have.  It’s nice to sit at the bar or a table in the bar for lunch.  They’ll serve certain items like a burger or dip.  There isi no menu.  The bar tender will tell you the 3 or 4 things you can order.  They are all good.  I like Noriega Hotel.  I usually order a side of blue cheese with my lamb dip.  They serve it with a small salad with oil and vinegar and fries.  It’s always fresh and hot.  You can’t go wrong at Noriega’s.

I used to have a customer that liked to go to Chalet Basque Restaurant.  Their lamb dip is good and pretty much standard.  I don’t know why I don’t go there anymore.

I had lunch at Benji's French Basque Restaurant yesterday.  They are open on Monday when Noriega is closed.  The salad that comes with the dip is in a family style bowl with shredded carrots and a nice creamy oil and vinegar dressing mixed in.  It’s a unique dressing at Benji’s.  I think it’s the same dressing they use on the pickled tongue. And when the bowl was empty, they asked if we wanted more salad.  Again, I ordered a side of blue cheese.  It goes so well with the salad and there is enough for the sandwich also.  The lamb was sliced a bit thicker than Woolgrowers and it was more tender and moist.  The French roll was really soft and fresh.  I think this is my favorite lamb dip in town.

Each place has something unique and different in what they serve or in the atmosphere.  Sometime one place will be closed so I go to another one.  I recommend that you get to know them all and see if you can come up with a favorite.

 

For a really unique French dip you have to go the original Philippe's on Ord and Almeda in downtown L.A.  They slice the lamb right off the roasted leg to order.  And they dip the roll in the aus jus.  I order mine double dipped so they dip both halves.  And I order it with blue cheese.  It is a real classic.  And there is lots of free parking. You will not get fries and you will not get a Basque salad, but the lamb is superb.  Warning, go easy on the French mustard.  It will knock your socks off.

Lamb dip Throw Down

Uricchio's and Highland cafe

Uricchio’s Tratoria:

Uricchio’s Trattoria consistently gets top ratings for a good reason.  The food is great.  Although it’s a trattoria atmosphere with tables and chairs, it is fancy enough for a business dinner or anniversary and casual enough for Bakersfield summer attire.  I have taken business colleagues there numerous times.  First time diners ask me, “What do you recommend?” and I always say, “The chicken picata and ravioli alfredo”.   Because that is what I usually get.

One colleague came to Bakersfield from rural New Mexico.  He’s a real cowboy and kind of simple, in a good way.  I ordered a Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon from Wild horse.  It’s not too expensive and I know it will be good.  In the middle of his chicken picata and ravioli alfredo, he said, “I can’t think of any words to describe how good this is”.  He clearly was not used to such fine Italian food. 

The chicken picata is a thin breaded half of a chicken breast and pan fried.  What makes it so incredible is the lemon caper butter sauce.  And the ravioli’s are plump full of ricotta cheese and smothered in a rich alfredo sauce.  It is great with the fresh Italian bread and the fresh grated cheese on the table.  Although the alfredo and picata sauces are white, they are rich enough to stand up to the red wine, in my opinion.  In fact, on my last visit, I brought a bottle of Le Cuvier 2005 Zinfandel.  You can’t find much richer wine than that.  And it was great with the dish.  Uricchio’s charges a $15 corkage fee, FYI.

http://uricchios-trattoria.com/menus/

Highland Café:

I went at the highland Café in Oildale this week.  Remember the highland?  I do, with the coldest beer in town, the BBQ, the line of booths down the middle of the dining room, having lunch at the bar because the tables are full.  Yeah, that was years ago.  My favorite dish was the diet plate, a nice fresh salad with lots of blue cheese on the plate with a pile of sliced tri-tip or chicken.  I always got the tri-tip.  And the barbeque sauce was so good on the tri-tip and the salad.  It mixed well with the blue cheese dressing too.  Too bad it closed years ago.  It was very popular for lunch with people working at the Kern River field.  I usually saw someone I knew there.  I remember the waitresses were true Oildale born and bred.  They were meaner than the oilfield workers and had a sharper tongue.  They were nice and we all had fun eating there.  I thought it was funny when the older waitress and I were talking about our kids and she had a kid going to Cal Tech studying aerodynamics.  He was going to be a rocket scientist.  From Oildale?  Is that great or what?  She was really proud of him. 

That gem has been closed for years and stood empty for a while until it was re-opened as an upscale diner and bar.  There are new booths and tables and the menu is new.  No more BBQ like the old days.  But the food is fine.  And the service is still great.  I had the cheddar jalapeno burger.  And I got the sweet potato chips on the side.  The burger is about as gourmet as you will get in Bakersfield.  The patty is nice and thick and still juicy.  The bun was big and fresh and the cheddar and jalapeno’s added lots of flavor.  I really liked the sweet potato chips. 

They were thin, crispy and made fresh.  They were great with extra salt and not as filling as French fries.  The burger was on special that day and was $10.95.  That is a lot for a burger in Bakersfield, but the value was there.  The other sandwiches looked great also.  I can recommend the Highland Café if you are in the Kern River area.  Google the Highland Café Bakersfield and you’ll see other great reviews.

Goose Loonies

Goose Loonies Tavern & Grill

Betty was downtown hosting a laughter yoga class so I invited her to meet me after class at Goose Loonies for dinner.  I needed to get out also and Wednesday night is wing night at the Goose again.  The wings are $1.99 for an order of 6 wings. 

I have fond memories of Goose Loonies when it was in 19^th and H Streets in the mid 90’s.  I remember parking my Harley out from and sitting on the patio with a friend smoking a cigar, watching a game and enjoying an ice cold draft beer and eating peanuts and hot wings.   The peanuts are back and the wing special is back.  However, unfortunately it’s just not very good.

Like the last time I was there, on this visit Wednesday night, I didn’t get one of the frosty cold mugs for my beer.   A frosty mug really increases the pleasure of drinking a beer when I go out.  And when the wings arrived, (I had ordered honey garlic and hot ones) they were unusually small and between Betty and me almost half the wings had broken and splintered bones.  I mean one in 12 might be acceptable.  But what is with 5 in 12 broken bones?  Where do they get these wings, at the Batting Practice Chicken Ranch?  I didn’t enjoy picking bone slivers out of my mouth.  The hot sauce was good and the honey garlic sauce was good.  They are served with a runny ranch dressing.  I remember when they were served with thick blue cheese dressing with chunks of blue cheese.   That’s what I was hoping for, big whole juicy wings with great sauce and thick chunky blue cheese dressing on the side. 

Betty ordered the Gyro sandwich.  I remember having that on previous occasions and the gyro meat was packaged.  I could tell because the slices are all the same rectangular shape, like it came out of a Spam can.  So I ordered the Loonies Burger and fries.  The Looines burger sounded really good, “a juicy patty topped with apple wood smoked bacon, fresh sliced avocado and cheddar cheese.  Unfortunately, I will not be able to tell you about the Loonies Burger. 

When our dinner arrived I noticed that the fries looked limp.  So I tasted one and advised the waitress that they are cold and limp, and I would appreciate hot fresh fries.  Betty concurred and the waitress asked, “So, what do you want, and extra plate of fries?”   I said, “No.  I would like you to take these back and bring hot fresh ones.”  When she returned with our plates, the fries were hot and fresh and very good.  But I noticed that my burger did not have the apple wood smoked bacon, avocado or cheddar cheese on it.  And I remember not accepting an incorrect order at B.J.’s Brew House when it was wrong twice and I never got a meal.  (See my first blog entry for details)  I think that would have been preferred.  Because the burger was not juicy like it says on the menu, but over cooked well done and completely dry. 

When the manager came around and asked how everything was, I let him know that we sent cold fries back and I got the wrong burger.  In a friendly way he said that the kitchen was overwhelmed with the party of 15 that was there just before us.  “We’ll EXCUUUUSE the hell out of me”.  I felt like I was at Fawlety Towers  and complained to Basil Fawlety about the bad service and bad food and he ended up complaining to me… “Don’t you think I know it?  I have to live with it here.” 

So I paid my $38 bill plus a 15% tip and wished we had gone the Noriega Hotel for the lamb stew and prime rib dinner they have every Wednesday night for about the same price, including wine.

The Goose was really a disappointment for the 3^rd time now.  Once I was there with some business colleagues and we ordered the flaming cheese.  I like to yell “OPA” when it’s lit on fire.  It was so salty, I could not eat it.  Hey, 3 strikes and you’re out.  It’s too bad because I’ve talked to the owner before and he’s a nice guy.  He’s from Edmonton and is a big hockey fan.  It’s one place in town I can go and see a NHL hockey game in Bakersfield, but I don’t think I go back.

http://www.gooselooniestavern.com/

Update on the avocado tree

See the “greatest Irony” blog.  The avocado tree is alive and thriving.  I transplanted it from the recovery pot and put it in the ground.  It gets plenty of water and should be sheltered from the frost in winter.  It  only has 6 feet to grow before it’s back to the size it was when I yanked it out.

Odessa, Tx

Odessa, Texas

I’ve heard a number of people tell me that Midland, TX is a lot like Bakersfield.  Maybe Midland is similar, but the sister city Odessa, is more like a mix of Oildale and Tijuana, Mexico.

I had the pleasure to go to Odessa for some training and I was kind of looking forward to visiting West Texas for the first time.  I was immediately struck by the lack of any style, charm or beauty in the city.  The locals say that Odessa is 5 hours from Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, or anywhere else that’s cool.  I think that pretty much defines “the middle of nowhere”. 

I flew in on the night of game 7 of the Stanley cup finals between Vancouver and Boston.  And the 3^rd period was just starting when I checked in to the Elegante Hotel.  This place may have been elegant in the 70’s, but it is now more like the “used to be Elegante” hotel.  It’s 8 stories high, seven stories higher than any other building I saw.  At the entrance, there is a granite tablet of the 10 commandments 8 feet tall.  The lobby is pretty cool with all the leather furniture and the rooms are nice.  It’s just seems cheesy.  I thought that the hotel bar might be showing the Stanley Cup game 7, but what I found was a 70’s style bar with a thick cloud of cigarette smoke and cowboys drinking beer, smoking cigaretts and checking their Blackberries.  There were lots of TV’s but they were all were showing baseball, Nascar or poker.  I turned around and my colleagues and I went to the Hooters down the street to see the last of the game. 

The food at Hooters is really not very good.  I had a buffalo chicken sandwich and fries.  I sent the fries back because they were cold.  It’s Ok for a sports bar, but I wouldn’t go for the food.  For lunch the next day we were treated to a restaurant called the Barn Door.  It’s located in a rundown old building and has that classic low class Texas steak house feel to it.  I wasn’t very hungry so I had a blackened salmon salad.  That was a mistake.  The salmon was over cooked and so tough it wouldn’t even flake apart.  They did serve huge sweet white bread rolls that were brushed with butter.  The décor is fun with a cow hide on the wall and fake flowers in cow horn vases.   Is that a glimpse of the Texas charm I was looking for?

Dinner was bitter sweet.  The Hog Pit Pub and Grub is a roadhouse off the main drag to Midland.  It’s in the middle of nowhere, like this whole town, next to a rundown trailer park and abandoned storage building.  The Hog Pit is in an old metal building that turned out to be a Texas Hold’em poker place that happened to serve alcohol and barbeque.  The ribs were really good and the beer was cold.  They served spare ribs that I literally ate with a spoon because the meat fell off the bone with the slightest touch.  I saved my left over’s for the stray dog at the office, unless I’m hungry for breakfast.  God, please help to get out of here.

Napa

Napa

We traded our vacation week in Carlsbad Beach this year for a week in Napa.  We have never spent more than a day or 2 in Napa and thought it would be nice to see this beautiful part of California and find some great wine.  Betty and I both love wine and Napa is the best, right?

The drive to Napa took us through the river front town of Rio Vista on Hwy 12.  Rio Vista holds a lot of memories for Betty and me.  I lived in the tiny Rio Vista Motor Hotel for 10 weeks in 1981.  My first job in the oil industry was as a mud engineer.  I was the technical sales and service person taking care of the drilling fluid on a deep exploratory gas well outside Rio Vista.  I also worked on Unocal gas wells on the islands in the Sacramento River Delta nearby.  Betty had just moved to Bakersfield from Houston and would drive to Rio Vista and see me on weekends. 

We drove through downtown Rio Vista and stopped at Foster’s Big Horn.  It’s probably the most unique restaurant I ever ate at.  I ate many meals there in 1981.  It has a long bar and a dining room in back.  The unique thing is that Foster’s has a huge collection of big game trophies.  The trophies are from Africa and North America and include lions, bears, wolves, tigers, a black rhino, an elephant and even a giraffe.  It’s a world class collection, but I do not agree with killing such beautiful creatures for sport.  We got talking to an old guy outside on a bench and I said it is nice to see that the place hadn’t changed in 30 years.  I asked who the owner was and he said, here he comes now.  I talked to the owner and said I enjoyed eating there in 1981.  He asked about what I was doing in town back then and I explained my job as a mud engineer.  I mentioned that I used to stay at the Rio Vista Hotel and that I remember Marie used to own it.  And how she was so nice to her guests.  He said he knows Marie and sees her almost every day.  He said she is elderly now and he asked for my business card so he could tell her that I remember her. 

http://www.fostersbighorn.com/FBH_Web_Site/Home.html

We booked a cottage at River Point Resorts in the city of Napa.  It’s right along the Napa River and centrally located for one of the world’s premium wine producing regions.  River Point is a lovely and charming place to stay even though the charming 1 bedroom cottages in the brochure ended up being 400 square foot trailers. Seriously, the cottage is a trainer – on wheels and with a trailer hitch.  Betty says she feels like Ricky and Lucy in this place.  The cottage does have a nice deck with a patio table and chairs.  And the interior is clean and modern, nicely appointed with quality furniture and decorations.  In the orientation, we learned that the cottages are trailered so that when it floods, they can be moved.  Riiiight.  The location was under 5 feet of flood water in 2005, supposedly.  Hey, the TV’s works and the bed is very comfortable.  And there is a good coffee maker. 

Monday (Memorial Day):  We started wine tasting along the Silverado Trail, named for the road that went to the silver and mercury mines in the late 1800’s.  Hagafen Cellars offered a nice wine tour and had a great Sauvignon Blanc.  We did not care for any of the red wines though.  And every wine I taste, I find myself comparing to Le Cuvier.  And on the wine tour, I can see the processes that are standard in the industry and that Le Cuvier does differently.  From the fermentation tanks to the yeast used and the barrel aging, the differences must be important because the wine I tasted just didn’t compare to the depth of flavors, bouquet and softness that I get from Le Cuvier.

Across the road from Hagafen Cellars is Black Stallion.  This is a beautiful winery and a monstrous estate and wine production complex.  It’s spectacular in every way, except the wine.  When I told the guy I didn’t care for the wines and the rough tannins, he poured me one of the “Reserve” wines, a Meritage blend that cost $125.  It was only OK.  Sorry.  It did not have any bouquet on the nose and the I didn’t find it very rich in flavor.  It was noticeably better than the $65 Cabs they offered, but nothing like the $36 Cab from Le Cuvier or the Cabs at Chateau Margene in Paso. 

Driving north on Silverado Trail, we stopped a Silverado Vineyards.  This is another spectacular winery with a beautiful tasting room with incredible views of the Yountville vineyards.  It’s a great relaxing experience.  However, I didn’t care for the wines at all.  It’s like I can taste the bitterness from pumping the wine and seeds around the tall fermentation tanks they all use.  And the new oak barrels they talk about using seem to leave the tannins prominent, not soft and supple.  And the standard aging time in the barrels is only 18 to 24 months. 

Back at River Point Resort, they sponsored wine tasting on Sunday and Monday featuring small independent wines, Perez Family wines and Vino Di Angelo. We tasted a really nice Zinfandel and some nice Cab and red table wine that was better than the wine from the big fancy wineries we visited during the day.

Tuesday:  We had a reservation at the world class French restaurant in Yountville called Bouchon.  We picked up the menu on Monday when we made the reservation so we knew what we were going to order ahead of time.  You know me, always thinking about my next meal.  Bouchon is located in a charming historical brick building in the tourist area of Yountville.  Their popular bakery is next door and the tasting rooms, wine shops and upscale stores are in the downtown Yountville area.    

Because of a dream she had last night, Betty insisted that we not deprive ourselves of the finest dining experience available at Bouchon (I wished she dreamed of our bank account, maybe we could get a sandwich qt the market instead).  Betty ordered the prime pan-seared flatiron steak with caramelized shallots and fries.  And I ordered the roast leg of lamb.  We started off sharing a salad of watercress, endive, Roquefort and walnuts with herbs de Provence and the lightest walnut vinaigrette.  And since we were not depriving ourselves, Betty ordered the wine.  We enjoyed a 500 ml carafe of Ramey 2006 Napa Valley Cab (a full bottle is 750 mls).  And the staff promptly brought a cold dish of butter and crusty French bread to the table.  The Ramey Napa Cab was a delight with a wonderful bouquet, soft tannins and flavors of cherry, berry fruit, dark chocolate and long finish.  The bread, butter and chunks of Roquefort and the walnuts that came with the salad accompanied the wine perfectly.  We agreed that, finally we found a wine that we truly loved.  The 500 ml carafe cost $54 at Bouchon, which is not bad compared to the $50 the 2007 costs in a wine store across the street. 

Betty’s flatiron steak was a generous portion and cut over an inch thick.  It was cooked perfectly medium (just right for the cut) and seasoned with the caramelized onions and a blend of herbs.  The steak was accompanied by a mountain of thin, crispy and hot French fries which I enjoyed as much as Betty did.  I ordered the roasted leg of lamb medium rare and it was presented as 4 beautiful center cut medallions nestled over a ragout of garbanzo beans, fava beans and merguez sausage, garden carrots, green garlic, preserved Meyer lemon and lamb jus.  It was a truly a gourmet dining experience and we both treasured.

We were seated at a small table along the wall with other tables for 2 on both sides.  We were seated at 11:30 when Bouchon first opened.  With my back to the dining room, I did not notice that the restaurant filled up towards noon.   About half way through our meal, other diners were seated next to us.  The tables were so close together they had to be moved so that diners could step between them to be seated against the wall.  This was just a little uncomfortable and took away some of the intimacy from the dining experience.  But from the restaurant’s point of view, and the fact that they are charging $34 for an ala carte entrée, the more tables crammed in the dining room the better. 

I almost forgot about the dessert.  We shared a dark chocolate mousse with a burnt orange cream and fresh whipped cream.  It was rich but not too sweet and included dollops of a thick burnt orange cream to balance the rich sweetness of the mousse.  Lunch with tax and tip came to $185.  Overall, Bouchon is a 5 star dining experience in the Napa Valley and a great way to indulge oneself.

For dinner we found an old school Italian restaurant, Filippi’s in downtown Napa.  Filippi’s is a family owned chain of Italian restaurants from Chula Vista to Napa.  Remember the Italian restaurant you went to as a kid in the 50’s and 60’s?  Red upholstery, red and white table cloths with red bar candles adorned the tables. I was still full from lunch, but we were hungry for a little night life.  Filippi’s is great.  Betty and I had a bowl of minestrone soup with the softest warm Italian bread and butter.  Betty ordered an eggplant parmigiana sandwich that we shared. The roll was crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, warm and wet with the marinara sauce just the right amount of melted cheese.  A great low cost Italian meal can be found at Fillipi’s.  I can’t wait to go back and try a pizza or pasta.

Wednesday: we ventured to Somona Valley.  The drive through the wine country was the most enjoyable part of the day.  We went on Scenic Drive 12 and wanted to see the Jack London State Park.  It was closed - thanks to Jerry Brown.  But we did stop at some small shops along the Glen Ellen creek.  Nothing worth walking into the stores for, but I noticed the Eric Ross tasting room across the street.  I remember having a great Eric Ross Pinot Noir years ago on my last visit to Healdsburg.  We went into the empty tasting room and met the manager.  I asked if he was Eric and he came back with a smart ass comment that Betty and I found dry yet funny.  This guy, Dennis had one great line after another.  He was very knowledgeable about the wine and we really enjoyed the Spanish varietal whites.  So we joined the wine club and look forward to our first 3 bottle shipment in July.

Wednesday was our day of frustration in finding lunch.  I bought an Entertainment book for Sonoma that had discounts on dining.  So I thought.  I even paid $15 to have it shipped overnight to me so I got it in time to take on this trip.  The restaurants listed in Sonoma were not even there anymore.  The restaurants in Santa Rosa were not there either.  We were tired and hungry by 2:00 and we were having a hard time finding a suitable place to eat.  We got to Healdsburg and couldn’t find a place that we could agree on.  So we decided the Entertainment book was bogus and left it the car.  We finally found a little Mexican restaurant in Healdsburg and had a late lunch.  I had a seafood cocktail and Betty had a carnitas taco plate.  It was a good lunch for $20.  When we got back to the car I had to look in the Entertainment book and I found a buy one get on free coupon in there that we could have used.  Sometimes it’s good to keep my frustration bottled up so as not to spread the aggravation to those around me.  This is one of those times.  

Thursday: we had tickets for the tour of the Castello di Amarosa (Castle of Love).  This is authentic Tuscan castle build from hand shaped stones and brick and tile from Italy.  It is a working winery and a great tour if you are in Napa.  The tour and wine tasting took 2 hours.  The wine was not very good though.  However, the overall experience was great.

  www.castellodiamorosa.com

We had lunch at the Silverado Brew pub in St. Helena. I had a lamb burger with garlic fries.  And Betty had a braised pork shank in a spicy tomatillo sauce with polenta.  Both dishes were awesome, especially the garlic fries.  They were hot and crispy and the garlic must have been lightly sautéed in butter because it was to too garlicky.  The burger was a thick ground lamp patty with fresh veggies and a homemade roll.  And the pork shank was fall-off-the-bone tender and luscious.  It was a great meal.  We walked next door to the Freemark Abby Winery for some wine tasting.  This is another beautiful tasting room overlooking the St. Helena vineyards.  Too bad we did not find the wine so special.

So far, most of the wine in the area seems to be the same.  The reds have a lot of tannins that provide a harsh mouth feel.  And everyone seems to use commercial yeast and barrel age 18 to 24 months in new oak.  All the fermentation tanks are expensive jacketed stainless steel and are tall and narrow.  It must be a good formula for success because these wineries are supposed to be the biggest and best in the world.  I’m looking for a winery that does something special that I can say “wow” when I taste the wine.  I’m looking for a Bordeaux wine that has a bouquet that I can smell from an arm’s length away.  I’m looking for a Cabernet Sauvignon that has tannins that are soft enough that I don’t need a mouthful of blue cheese to mask it.  I’m looking for a wine that is special enough that I don’t recognize it from the Albertsons I shop at.  And I don’t want to pay over $50 a bottle.  The search continues.

Friday: we made an appointment for wine tasting at the Paoletti  Estate Winery.  In 2004, when we used to go the Café Med in Bakersfield for their Friday night wine tasting, I won the auction for 6 bottles of Napa Cab from Paoletti Winery.  I loved the big bouquet and big cherry and chocolate flavors that the wine presented.  I’ve had my eye on Paoletti ever since.  It is located in the Calistoga district in Napa on the Silverado Trail.  I have driven by the winery before and been turned away by the “appointment only” status and a closed gate.  I have been waiting all week to get in to this winery on this Friday. 

The winery is a beautiful stone building with the residence next door.  There is a complex of caves in the hillside used for barrel aging.  It is sorounded by estate vineyards and a small lake.  We were greeted in the tasting room by the owner Gianinni Paoletti himself.  He was hosting a 9 person tour and asked us to sit at the long table and join in.  When I told him my name, he called me Sergio Mendes.  I said that is my favorite group and that I love Lani Hall.  He said he has had Lani Hall and Herb Alpert in his Brentwood Restaurant, Peppone on several occasions.  I’ll have to check that restaurant out sometime.  How cool would it be to go there and have a bottle of his wine paired with a great Italian dinner? 

He started us out by pouring the Russian River Chardonnay.  It was clean and fresh, not too crisp or acidy, with citrus notes and light oak.  It has a very soft mouth feel and is very enjoyable.  When we got to the Novello Cabernet Sauvignon, I experienced that “wow” that Betty and I were looking for all week.  It had the same bouquet and flavors that it had from the 1998 vintage I got from Café Med.  Check it out on line or come to the house for a pour.  I bought a case.  At $26 a bottle, this is a great find and I highly recommend it.  It is so much more enjoyable than the $75 to $90 Cabs that we have tasted this week.  And I was pleased to see the short fat fermentation tanks in the winery and old barrels full of wine in the aging caves.  Everything we tasted was great.  And he just bottled his 2009 Malbec that has not been released or priced yet.  We got a preview taste.  This is a fruit bomb, in a good way.  It will be great when it’s released. 

Paoletti Winery is the highlight wine experience of this vacation.  Although I will be looking for the Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon at Luigi’s next time I am there.  Did I mention that I found out on-line that Ramey is using native yeast in his fermentation?  I’m finally feeling that there is hope in finding more great wine.  And the search can be fun as well.

http://www.paolettivineyards.com/