Colossal shrimp
Food Dudes, from left, Rick Kreiser, Vin Dang, Rick Hudgens, Derek Abbott and David Leon at the entrance of Jake’s Steakhouse in Tehachapi.
Photos by Greg Nichols
O
ur visit to Jake’s Steakhouse in Tehachapi offered us an opportunity to exchange the normal stomping grounds in Bakersfield with the rugged alpine scenery and cooler mountain temperatures. Set a block off the main drag of Tehachapi Boulevard, with warm and thoughtful decor and paintings of local landscapes, it feels like a neighborhood restaurant, especially when you’re greeted by friendly owner Barbara Ferrante, chef Matt Greene, and the rest of the most welcoming and attentive staff we’ve had the pleasure to meet in our ventures. As we first entered the establishment, we got the feeling that this atmosphere is a well-created design, with the beautiful bar on the right and the dinner seating area on the left. The seating is made of booths with very comfortable cushions, not like those cheap, sunken booths where as soon as you sit down, it’s almost impossible to get up. They sat us down at a circular booth that could easily fit six. Our waitress, Michelle, has worked at Jake’s for six years and was particularly accommodating as she thoroughly reviewed the chef’s specials of the evening. She wasn’t shy about recommending the best of the best after learning a bit about our individual tastes. We like that honesty. So, you can imagine the level of expertise and enthusiasm that is proffered.
APPETIZERS Derek on the colossal shrimp: We ordered the colossal shrimp entree for the table, splitting the jumbo prawns amongst our group. Those of you who follow our reviews have read of my passion for prawns, and while these shrimp weren’t the size of my head as I’d hoped, they were very satisfying — sauteed and glazed with lemon, butter and garlic. Rick H. on the chicken cordon bleu bites: Michelle suggested we try chicken cordon bleu bites, which had the ideal blend of cheese, chicken and ham, lightly fried and ten-
der. I highly recommend you order this flavorful appetizer, along with the seared ahi tuna and minestrone soup, when you visit.
Jake’s Steakhouse Vin on the calamari: The best appetizer for me was the calamari strips — not overly breaded, and made with chunky strips of calamari. It was a perfect combination of crispy and tender. The sauce is a bit different than your typical marinara. Jake’s mixes up their own Cajun creamy tartar sauce, which complements the calamari well. Address: 213 S. Curry St. in Tehachapi Phone: 822-6015 Website: jakessteakhouse.net Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Reservations recommended Friday through Sunday. Hungry for more? Check out more food photos on bakersfieldlife.com.
ENTREES Derek on the Kobe burger: Us Dudes try to vary our selections, so I went with the Kobe burger. I’m a man of many meats, meaning that I like to try new items on a menu, and I somehow hadn’t had Kobe beef, though I’ve heard much about it. Kobe refers to cuts of beef from the Japanese wagyu cattle. It is generally considered a delicacy, renowned for its flavor, tenderness and fatty, well-marbled texture — all of which make it sound like the perfect meat for a burger. The meat was prepared medium-rare based on server Michelle’s recommendation, which was great because that’s how I like my meat. It was well-flavored, juicy and seemed to melt in my mouth. Served on a kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato and onions, the burger deeply satisfied.
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