Bakersfield Life

Way to go, Joe's

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Hello, Joe ... and Jeff     Whitney: We meet the brains behind Coconut Joe’s and his name is Joe. Then we meet the manager Jeff, the other half of Joe. They were both incredibly kind and fun-loving! They brought us up to date on the changes made to what was once The Getaway Cafe to what is now Coconut Joe’s. They’ve added new menu items and are continually making changes to the decor.      Aimee: Joe and Jeff are so excited and passionate about what they do every day: deliver fun, healthy (with a few exceptions), fresh and delicious food to the lucky people of Bakersfield. Not only are the people of Bakersfield happy to have Coconut Joe’s as part of our city, the state of Hawaii is too! Coconut Joe’s received a huge congratulation from the governor of Hawaii on their 20th anniversary! Atmosphere     Aimee: Coconut Joe’s has had many transformations over the past few years. Joe accounts the changes to his various loves: Indiana Jones, Jimmy Buffet, tiki lounges and finally the family friendly beach-surf scene. As our weather is cold and gloomy, it is always a day in paradise inside Coconut Joe’s! When you step inside you feel like you have joined the set of “Beach Blanket Bingo” and know Frankie and Annette could be sighted at anytime.     Wendy: If you are lucky you might see the Boat Yard truck in the parking lot. It has the catch of the day in the back of the truck! A large great white shark nearly crushes the old truck. My kids get excited every time we see it driving down the road.    Whitney: Aimee asked if their surfer car is outside and can we get our picture taken next to the car. I don’t think Joe could answer fast enough for Aimee was already up and running outside, mumbling she knows exactly where she wants to pose. We walk outside and Aimee is up on the hood of the car next to the shark. I asked Lori, how does she do this kind of junk in four-inch heels? Ready to order?    Whitney: I’m not even in the door to Coconut Joe’s and Wendy announces that she is ordering the tri tip. She informs us that Coconut Joe’s is known for its tri tip and because she loves tri tip, it only makes sense that she has first dibs on it. She’s stating this in a singsong kind of way and smiles at us. You just can’t make her up!     Wendy: I knew what I wanted to order long before we got there. My favorite dish at Coconut Joe's is the tri-tip with beans and coleslaw. I think they've got the best tri-tip in town. It is coated with a special seasoning and barbecued perfectly. I can never get enough of it. Off the grill     Aimee: Everything we ate was fantastic! I loved the mesquite grilled chicken salad. It is made with fresh mixed greens with a large portion of fresh diced chicken breast. The homemade oil and vinegar dressing was perfect. It would make a meal in itself. But my favorite by far was the Huli Huli burger! Huli Huli means “to flip” and you will definitely flip over this burger! It has a huge beef patty served with jack cheese, grilled pineapple, lettuce, tomatoes, and a sauce to die for. I really hated to share it, but I am trying to be more like Lori (she is still by far the nicest Diva!).Joe and Jeff were surprised how much the four of us could put away, but with food like this we just couldn’t stop!     Whitney: I’m just getting over the typhoid flu and I needed something mild and easy on the stomach, so I ordered the original two-piece mesquite chicken meal. It’s exactly what the doctor ordered. Very tender, flavorful pieces of chicken that have been marinating for hours in fruit juices before thrown on a grill. It came with a choice of two sides. Do yourself a favor and order the coleslaw. If you don’t toss the chunky salsa on top of the chicken, there is something wrong with you! Just a note. Thank you Joe for putting fries on the menu. Joe wants a healthy menu and didn’t always offer fries. Say it ain’t so, Joe! Fresh-cut potatoes, seasoned perfectly, absolutely has to go with the Huli Huli burger. What a catch    Wendy: Joe asked us if we had heard that he had added fish and chips and clam chowder to his menu. I remembered that my in-laws had just told me they had tried the fish and chips and said it was better than another local popular fish and chips spot in Bakersfield. I think Joe knew there might be a fight at the table over the fish so he was kind enough to bring out a sample platter. The other girls gave me such a hard time. The fish is lightly coated -- "just how I like it" -- and fried (Joe doesn't like that word) in oil with no trans fats. He stressed this as the foundation of his restaurant is about good healthy food.     Lori: If anyone is having a craving for fish and chips, no need to head to Pismo, just go to Coconut Joe’s. The fish is an Alaskan true cod fillet, hand-cut right at the restaurant. The batter is homemade and is very light and is cooked in zero trans fat oil. The tartar and cocktail sauces are both homemade. Nothing is pre-made or pre-packaged. Most Fridays people love to go  somewhere for clam chowder, but now they don't have to wait: Coconut Joe’s is serving clam chowder every day of the week. The clam chowder is thick and a little spicy, made the way Joe used to get as a kid in Alexandria, Va. The clam chowder is hand-mixed to a perfect consistency with a bunch of clams, served in a Pyrenees sourdough bread bowl or a la carte.Whitney: Joe searched high and low for the perfect clam chowder and I think he found it! It beats Splashes at Pismo Beach clam chowder all to heck. It’s creamy, thick and full of the good stuff! Dessert    Aimee: Even though we were stuffed, we forced ourselves to try a bite (or three) of both the banana nut cake and Joe & the Chocolate Volcano cake! Both are made with what they call “flow” frosting. They pour the frosting over the whole cake and let it flow over the sides; each bite has the perfect amount of cake and frosting. I loved both of them! I could have eaten a whole piece of each!    Whitney: I haven’t been able to stop telling people about the banana nut cake since our visit. Joe, can I order it in a large for parties? I think I can and will. Jeff told us that his cakes are baked daily at 4:30 a.m. They have a patent on their cake frosting. It’s called the Flow Frosting and, baby, it flows all over the cake. We know how to enjoy good food and apparently so does Joe. His last comment to us before we got up from the table was, “Dang, you girls can flat eat!” Lori: Chocolate cake and banana cake were the desserts we all shared — homemade, of course. Real chocolate and real banana taste just like making it in your own home. Desserts are a must so save room.