Hodel’s Country Dining is a Bakersfield favorite with over 40 years of service.  This large restaurant is the ultimate meeting place for families, and businesses.  Hodel’s has one of the best Breakfasts in town. I loved the cinnamon rolls, one of their specialties, and the sausage.  If anyone knows the brand of sausage they use please let me know. ☺ Hodel’s country style dining makes you feel right at home.  Hodel’s is located at 5917 Knudsen Dr.

Cuban Flavor is an authentic family owned Cuban restaurant. It’s so authentic that the family matriarch does most of the cooking. Cuban Flavor is set up with a serving counter, where you tell the server what you want. This makes it easier to decide because you get to see everything before you choose. I had the Ox Tails with gravy, rice and plantains. Everything was seasoned like the flavor of the Caribbean. The only thing missing was the sounds of Yuka music. Cuban Flavor is located at 1431 California Ave.

Pho Vy Vietnamese Restaurant was an experience. I felt like I was having lunch in another country. Most of the patrons spoke Vietnamese, as we watched the Olympics from the flat screen TV. With the excitement of the Olympics I started a conversation with strangers and ended up joining their table lunch. They showed me how they like to eat bean sprouts, by dipping them into a mixture of hot and hoisin sauce. I ordered my usual, Bun Tom Thit Nuong (grilled shrimp & pork vermicelli). I love this Vietnamese dish. I also had fresh coconut juice with slices of coconut, DELICIOUS. Pho Vy Restaurant was a great cultural experience. Phy Vy is located at 333 Union Ave.

Village Grill specializes in California Cuisine.  California Cuisine is a fusion of cooking styles, prepared freshly using local ingredients. My favorite asset of the Restaurant is the patio.   The patio has a rainforest impression with a canopy of lush plants. The inside is a huge open area with booths, tables and a bar.  For lunch I had the Shrimp Louis Salad, which wasn’t impressive. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing on the menu. I’ll have to go back and try their breakfast, which I heard is pretty good.  Village Grill is located at 2809 F St.

Sequoia is a fitting name for this sandwich shop because their sandwiches are huge. My BLT was super stacked with slices of hickory-smoked bacon. I could only finish half of the sandwich, which is totally unusual for me. They have a lot of tempting dessert choices that leave you salivating at the register. Yes the cookies, and cake slices are also enormous. If you come to the Downtown Sequoia during lunch hours expect to wait. Sequoia has hot and cold sandwiches, and salads. Sequoia has several locations: Downtown 1231 18th St., Rosedale 9160 Rosedale Hwy. Southwest 9500 Ming Ave. Each place has different hours.

Today I interviewed Jennifer and Jeramy at Valentine Restaurant & Bar. I love the romantic atmosphere and food at Valentine. I even learned a little about wine pairing. The interview will be posted soon, so keep checking the site.

Today, with a friend I went to El Adobe Mexican Restaurant. This spot is nestled across from the mall. I would have never found or wanted to try this spot on busy Ming Avenue. But she gave rave reviews about their seafood enchiladas. Feeling a little famine after shopping I decided to put El Adobe to the seafood enchilada test. As we walked in I was suffocated with an awful smell and was not impressed with the place. But I wanted to be a good sport, so I cautiously ordered the seafood enchiladas. While waiting on the food we had the traditional salsa and chips, which were slamming. I don’t know if it was just hunger or what but the salsa was great. Then came our enchiladas, which were pretty impressive too. The enchiladas were covered in a creamy sauce that was delicious. El Adobe is located at 2620 Ming Ave.

Uricchio’s Trattoria is another Bakersfield favorite. Uricchio’s laid back atmosphere makes for a romantic evening. I’m not much for Italian food, but after hearing everyone talk about Uricchio’s, I knew I had to go. So one Friday my husband took me. I already knew what to order, from hearing my coworkers discuss everything on the menu. I had the diver scallops and my husband went with his usual, veal. Both dishes were pretty good. The scallops were fresh and the sauce made them even better. Uricchio’s has a cute outside patio seating area. Uricchio’s is located at 1400 17th St.

Ruben’s is a Mexican Cantina and Restaurant located in the heart of downtown. I checked out Ruben’s last week for lunch.  I had no idea they had a lunch buffet. With so many choices I never know where to start or when to end.  To make it easy on myself, I tried a spoonful of everything.  ☺  I think Ruben’s is a hit for the lunch crowd.  Ruben’s is located at 1804 Chester Ave.

The Scoop Bakersfield will be offering Coupons & Specials from local Businesses. From The Scoop Bakersfield website you will be able to print coupons from your favorite local spots. If you are a local Bakersfield business and interested in putting your coupon or sale on the site, contact The Scoop Bakersfield at info@thescoopbakersfield.com

Please check the site often for Coupons & Specials to come!