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Get to Know Basque Cuisine in Bakersfield
525 Sumner StBakersfield, CA 93305-5145 Phone: (661) 325-5971About
The history of transplanted Basque sheepherders runs deep in Bakersfield. For visitors, this means stumbling across an unexpected host of fine Basque restaurants in the California desert. Though there are plenty to choose from, you can’t go wrong with the century-old Noriega Hotel . Sit at long communal tables beneath blessedly cooling ceiling fans and revel in the nonstop parade of heaping dishes. A multicourse feast might include pickled tongue (quite good if you can get around the appearance), cabbage soup, spaghetti, and blue cheese washed down with jugs of wine or perhaps Picon punch, a potent local specialty made from brandy, maraschino syrup, and liqueur. Very Important Tip: There’s one dinner seating at 7 p.m. each evening. Make reservations and be prompt. If you walk in without a reservation or you’re late, you’ll likely be out of luck.
