PETE TITTL: Most restaurants hung on and we’re all hopeful for future | Food

Some eating places had been actually strict about cleansing menus and having workers put on masks, others much less so, and a few readers actually wished each column to element the place the restaurant stood on these points.

Issues are fairly a bit stricter down south. Whereas at an off-the-cuff restaurant in North Hollywood whereas visiting household, I used to be warned to get my masks again on whereas strolling to the restroom. And I do have associates nonetheless limiting their publicity, not going out simply but. I get it, however I’m additionally glad to get previous closed eating rooms requiring takeout solely.

• First rate vegetarian menu selections are nearly required, because the numbers embracing or at the very least flirting with plant-based diets proceed to develop. And whereas prior to now we have seen spectacular locations like Vida Vegan Co. open, I’ve a sense we’ll see extra eating places like Guapo’s Tacos, a humble White Lane quick meals spot providing excellent hen and beef vegan substitutions (in addition to standard Mexican meats). It solely makes enterprise sense. And count on to see extra eating places go the street of Shangri-la Asian Bistro & Bar, which grew to become Asian Vegan Bistro within the southwest, revamping the menu to serve tasty vegan choices like Thai spicy fried rice with “BBQ pork” and spicy dumpling noodle soup with veggie potstickers.

• We misplaced some eating places briefly as a result of pandemic however after restrictions eased, they did reopen. Two that we had been glad to see return was Hodel’s Nation Eating, our all-time favourite buffet at any time of day, and Sonder, which has each a way of caprice and a inventive aptitude that could be a welcome addition to our eating scene.

• One other attention-grabbing resurrection occurred with Tina Marie’s Downtown Cafe, whose Chester Avenue constructing was destroyed by a fireplace. As luck would have it, Chef’s Selection Noodle Bar moved into a brand new location at The Market and Tina Marie’s was capable of take over their outdated area on nineteenth Road, which was bigger and spiffier than their outdated residence. Typically life arms you items disguised as tragedies. This has labored out effectively based mostly on our visits to the brand new place.

• J’s Place, which closed after the loss of life of the chef/proprietor, got here again robust as Mother’s Home, with the unique crew and proprietor from when it was situated on Ming Avenue earlier than shifting to Rosedale Freeway. From the beginning, the outdated clients had been again. It is nonetheless obtained an incredible fried catfish plate.

And after the Noriega Resort closed, new homeowners purchased the title, the recipes and introduced the kitchen crew into the previous Cafe Med Stockdale Freeway location as Noriega’s, conserving these regulars proud of two dinner seatings on a weekend night time for the family-style Basque feasts.

• The restaurant enterprise has all the time attracted courageous entrepreneurs, and it is encouraging that you simply nonetheless have courageous souls keen to danger a lot to comply with their meals desires, just like the younger males who created Silly Wings up within the northeast.

Bakersfield’s comparatively cheap enterprise local weather (relative in comparison with the actual property prices elsewhere within the state) has continued to draw those that’ve had success elsewhere within the Golden State, akin to WaBa Grill, Flame & Hearth Brazilian Steakhouse (extra on them later), Culichi City (extra on them later, too) or the businessman behind Sancho’s Tacos (areas throughout Southern California together with San Clemente, which we have additionally visited).

• Rooster continues to be the go-to protein. Not solely did we get the chain Hearth Wings coming to Bako, and Elevating Cane’s popping up in every single place, however we obtained Baba’s Scorching Rooster and Bok Bok, a formidable Korean double-fried hen place. Anticipate extra quickly, akin to Charlie’s Loopy Rooster on White Lane. Will the pattern abate? Have you ever ever gotten sick of consuming fried hen?

The winner for tossing round all its alpha-male swagger is Flame & Hearth Brazilian Steakhouse on the nook of Stockdale Freeway and Allen Street. It merely is not like every other native restaurant we have visited, and the standard of each the decor and the meals makes it a particular expertise.

There have been many different nominees:

Toasted. The brains behind Bootleggers opened a breakfast-and-lunch-only spot on Panama Lane that provides inventive skillets, burritos, omelets and Belgian waffles, first rate burgers and, in fact, tater tots in numerous types.

Chef’s Selection within the southwest. The outdated Johnny Garlic’s location at The Market took its vitality stage up just a few notches when this profitable downtown restaurant moved in, with a terrific completely satisfied hour, patio and the handy pickup window for supply or to-go orders. So lots of Chef Preeda’s specials are nonetheless right here akin to shrimp pad thai, the steak salad with the spicy lime dressing and the ocean bass with that ginger garlic sauce. Lots to love, and the workers is all the time hospitable.

Outdated River Grill at The Market. Proprietor Roger Coughenour has prior to now eight years opened three breakfast-and-lunch eating places within the mould of twenty fourth Road Cafe and Milt’s. The restaurateur is endlessly inventive and imaginative, tinkering, nearly all the time efficiently, and his new place at The Market is a gem in so some ways.

Culichi City. Like Flame & Hearth, this restaurant, situated simply east of Freeway 99 on White Lane, has had success elsewhere and is actually radically totally different from our established eating spots. The Sinaloa-style delicacies restaurant is the creation of entrepreneur Misael Guerrero who began by promoting tamales in Inland Empire parking tons and constructed his enterprise right into a 15-restaurant chain. A lot of seafood together with sushi and ceviche in addition to vegan gadgets, wings, burgers and tacos.

At C Recent Seafood Restaurant. This spot close to Maya Cinemas downtown may very well be referred to as a seafood-cooked-in-a-bag place, but it surely’s really a lot extra, with curry dishes, noodles, fried rice, soups, fried seafood, hen, ribs, seafood combos and traditional meals. On our visits, the seafood has all the time been ultra-fresh.

Blue Desk Genuine Thai Delicacies. The tiny family-run restaurant is only a storefront operation adjoining to a Vons grocery retailer, however so many gadgets on the signature dishes such because the drunken noodles and tamarind shrimp are value your money and time. Positively a low-profile gem.

Wiki’s Wine Dive & Grill has all the time been a enjoyable place to go, however the kitchen this yr has continued to evolve in fascinating methods. The completely satisfied hour menu is nice, we love the “small bites” menu for whenever you need only a little bit of meals fairly than an entree and creations just like the Parmesan-crusted brisket sandwich are only a delight as is the Napa pizza with roasted garlic and the Kobe burgers.

Locale Farm to Desk is sort of presumably the perfect restaurant you will ever discover in an outdated gasoline station, and it is come out of this pandemic with a stronger kitchen. We love the thoughtfulness at work in proprietor Heather Laganelli’s restaurant the place the slogan is “the place creativity meets native + natural components.” And the menu identifies the native producers, and the artistry of the kitchen is obvious. A kind of uncommon locations the place we have by no means had a foul meal.

Buffalo Wild Wings. Yeah, I am leaving myself open to abuse for saying one thing good a few chain restaurant. What’s subsequent, a rave about Chili’s or Olive Backyard? However this chain with two areas in Bakersfield is all the time making an attempt to remain forward of tendencies, like one other chain we have discovered to be all the time striving for enchancment, Eureka!

ReMix Asian Kitchen. While you label one thing as most improved, do not assume that it had hit exhausting occasions. We love the way in which the menu at this small, domestically owned restaurant within the River Stroll complicated of medical buildings is all the time emphasizing high-quality meals, and the tinkering with the menu by no means ends. It is one other a type of locations the place ordering is so taxing if you happen to’ve been there earlier than, as a result of there are such a lot of strong choices.

Yearly we lose eating places. It is a robust enterprise. 2021 was no exception. Heidi’s Brooklyn Deli did have issues we actually preferred even when it was in a location that was a tad exhausting to seek out, but it surely had an incredible prime rib sandwich, smoothies and soups that had been memorable. Typically the competitors is simply too robust.

Akira’s Japanese Grill on California Avenue was thriving for many years as a teppan grill and sushi place, however I believe that the newer Kan Pai within the northwest took away enterprise.

More durable to elucidate the lack of Dot x Ott downtown, which actually match that elegant however informal Eastchester vibe, however the nuttiness of our new enterprise setting can take down even the passionate and the dedicated.

We’re wanting ahead to many new eating places within the new yr, together with the just lately opened Bread & Honey and Straw Hat Pizza Grille coming quickly to the identical busy new buying heart on the nook of Panama Lane and Ashe Street. Do not know lots about Bread & Honey however with a reputation like that you may’t go improper. The Straw Hat is a brand new idea on the chain that expands its typical menu to incorporate burgers, wings, pasta, extra sandwiches and full bar service.

We did see indicators {that a} Zeppo’s Pizza was stepping into downtown however haven’t seen any exercise there just lately. You’ll be able to search for stories on different new eating places quickly akin to Kyoto Japanese Grill, the brand new Rancho Grande Mexican Grill on Panama, So Cal Tacos, the brand new Taco Bros on Ming, the Rooster Shack in Rosedale that opened simply earlier than the top of the yr, and perhaps even Cracker Barrel and Dave & Buster’s, in the event that they ever get these areas open right here. One other new restaurant close to Kyoto is named Harrington Home, specializing in, in line with its signal, “Espresso meals wine,” obtainable “Morning midday night time.”