Hot restaurants always excite me so when I heard about Bakersfield, located on Mass Ave., I knew I had to check it out.
Based on the hype and location, I assumed the restaurant was expensive, ultra chic and had an “I’m too sexy” vibe to it. I was wrong on all three expectations.
Trying to find something to do on a Saturday night, my friend Monika and I decided to put our curiosities to rest and go to dinner at Bakersfield. We arrived to find the eatery packed. Lots of locals were there feasting on their three main staples – tacos, tequila and whiskey.
After a surprisingly short wait, the hostess called our name and escorted us to our table.
Our server handed us a dinner menu and explained that all items were a la carte. I did get a little nervous by that language because oftentimes, a la carte items can add up and create an expensive bill.
I decided to relax and studied the menu to place my order. To get our meal started off right, we ordered our beverages. Monika had the margarita while I tried the rosé sangria.
The waitress suggested the guacamole for an appetizer. Typically I’m incredibly picky about my guac so I was a bit hesitant to agree to her idea. I gave in and our server scurried off to the kitchen to place the order.
Although there were a lot of people dining and drinking, Bakersfield’s service was excellent. We didn’t have to wait long for the freshly made guacamole and warm tortilla chips. We were also able to place our entrée order.
Monika chose the short rib taco ($4) made with braised short rib, queso fresco, crema, pickled onion, cilantro and radish. I opted for the fish ($4) taco with crispy mahi, Tabasco lime sauce and citrus slaw; and the pollo verde ($3) made with tomatillo braised chicken, queso fresco, pickled onion, cilantro, crema and radish.
As we waited on our tacos, we munched on the guac and chips. I admit, I’m not a guac connoisseur, but this was the best guacamole I have ever eaten. Every single ingredient was fresh and a pronounced yet not overpowering lime flavor seemed to fuse all of the flavors together.
About 10 minutes later, our tacos arrived. Anxious to test what I really came to Bakersfield for, I took a bite out of my fish taco first. It was heavenly. The fish was fresh, perfectly cooked and all of the other ingredients were the perfect compliment. My friend said her short rib taco was pretty delicious too. After slowly savoring my first taco, I moved on to the pollo verde. It too was tasty.
For a night out at Bakersfield, I spent about $18.
I love my tried and true taco joints, but Bakersfield is quite an experience. The country bar theme is fun, the Mexican-influence street fare is fantastically simple yet modern and the booze is applicable to the setting and is cheaply flowing.
The only complaint I have about the restaurant is that it was really noisy. Talking over country music and a restaurant full of loud talking people got me a light case of laryngitis. I’d still go back though. Just next time, instead of running my mouth, I’ll use my time stuffing it with awesome tacos.
