What's Cookin'

Shai Gordon chastised me when we saw one another at a recent social event. “Hey, Mike, we haven’t seen you lately,” the proprietor of Steak & Grape Restaurant said, with a raised eyebrow and slight smile...

For a while the only reason to be downtown was work or for government. That’s all changed.

Bakersfield’s downtown renaissance has made the area a favorite destination for eating, shopping, and entertainment.Locals and visitors alike are creating magical evenings in the heart of town now.

One of the many things I enjoy about my wife, Carol, is that because she’s essentially a lifelong Bakersfield resident—her family moved here when she was five—I often get a history lesson about all things Bakersfield of the last half century or so...

Basque food and Bakersfield are synonymous. In fact, the Bakersfield Visitors and Convention Bureau website says we have the largest concentration of Basque restaurants in the United States...

Café Med has become a Bakersfield institution, an icon, a destination for out-of-towners, and a magnet for locals. An integral part of the Bakersfield dining scene for 21 years, it’s a place where friends congregate for good wine and good food.

I first became acquainted with Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar last October about six months after it had opened. Some friends told us about a winemaker dinner that was scheduled there, and asked if we’d like to join them. Oh man, was that a good decision.

I’m not lyin’, this is a true story: Some years back, Bob Bryant told me he was planning to buy the Lie-N Den, a little spot at Niles Place and Monterey Street. Any suggestions? he asked. Yes, I said. “Find John Somers and learn how to make burgers....”

Those who know me know that when it comes to Mexican cuisine I have a predilection for two things: all things New Mexican, and Tecate.

It’s a beautiful Kern County autumn afternoon—blue skies, warm temperatures, light breeze.

Greenhorn Summit is in the distance, the southern Sierra Nevada beckons. perfection.

I’m one of the few long-time Bakersfield residents who was unfamiliar with Great Castle Restaurant. but no more.