Bakersfield Life

All > Features > Dining
Italian At Its Best
Topics:
Posted by Jason Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:21:10 PST
Viewed 511 times
0 responses 0 comments It’s been said that every picture tells a story. And if you go into Uricchio’s Trattoria on 17th Street in downtown Bakersfield, you’ll find dozens of pictures on practically every wall in the place. But these pictures, featuring Nicholas Uricchio with Hollywood legends like Frank Sinatra, tell only half of a story. The rest of the tale, where family is a central theme, takes place not in the Hollywood Hills, but in our humble town of Bakersfield – specifically, at the tables of the restaurant itself.
Whether you’re a Bakersfield native or you’ve only been in town for a little over a month, there’s no doubt about it, you’ve heard the name Uricchio’s when someone has been talking about dining out. While the town has come to love the ambience, the food and the quality of the well-known establishment, perhaps many people aren’t familiar with the key players.
Once Upon a time in a land far, far away…well, it all started when Nicholas Uricchio was the Banquet Manager of the Beverly Hills Hilton, spending evenings shaking hands and sharing casual chats with Tinseltown’s finest at the Golden Globes. Little did he know he’d bring the same charm to a small, but quickly growing oil and agricultural community.

From Beverly Hills to Bakersfield
Let’s flip back to where the excitement really began. In 1995 Uricchio moved to Bakersfield to be near his family. Although he was retired at the time, we all know how it’s an easy jump from having a hobby to having a new career when you’re in this stage of life.  “Before I moved here I thought Bakersfield was like one of those places where they’d say, ’If you don’t answer this question right you win a trip to Bakersfield,’” quips the clever and charismatic Uricchio. But to his surprise, he found a community that he feels is best described as “warm” and decided to start a whole new chapter of his life. He never imagined he would create an establishment that fills the memories and hearts of so many  others.





“I started playing golf three or four times a week and the game was getting progressively worse,” Uricchio says. “So, I decided I better do something.” And if you’ve ever dined on a dish made from one of his mother’s recipes, you’re probably glad he did. That’s right, Uricchio’s isn’t serving your average run-of-the-mill dishes.

The decision to open a restaurant was an easy one for Uricchio. But he couldn’t have done it without the love and support of his adoring family. To this day they play an integral role in the restaurant’s daily success. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

A Family Labor of Love
Uricchio and his kids picked a place in the heart of downtown. “We had all spent our fair share in big cities where downtown is where everything takes place,” says Clair, one of Uricchio’s daughters and current business associates, “So we thought that downtown Bakersfield would be the best place to open our restaurant.” So they bought what was once an ice cream parlor and deli on the corner of 17th and K Streets, only to be told by locals that it’d never last.  
“They told us that we better just open at lunch because no one would ever go to that part of town for dinner,” says Uricchio. “But if I was going to open a restaurant, I was going to do it right.”
Uricchio’s determination fueled his passion for creating a unique and desirable establishment.
“I remember my dad saying that if we opened the restaurant only part time because everyone thought it wouldn’t last that would be like accepting defeat before it even happens,” recalls Clair.
Twelve years later a decision to bring a bit of Beverly Hills quality to Bakersfield dining mixed with a family philosophy on running a business, Uricchio’s Trattoria is one of Bakersfield’s premier Italian restaurants. From the delightful smells of home-made food wafting in the air from the open kitchen to the mouthwatering desserts perfectly chilled in the glass case – Uricchio’s struck gold with an enticing establishment.
And though there is no Rodeo Drive near here, the place still sees its fair share of glitz and glamour come prom season. After all, what lucky lady wouldn’t like to be treated like a queen before embarking on one of the most memorable nights of her life? Better yet, you wouldn’t want to be treated like royalty any time of the year? At Uricchio’s you will.
It’s become tradition, almost a rite of passage for Bakersfield youth to get their first taste of the fine dining experience without their parents present come prom night. And while parents are usually nowhere in sight on this evening, they know that their children will not only be served the best of the best, but that they will be in good hands.
That’s because, unlike many other restaurants, almost everyone who goes into Uricchio’s has probably been greeted with a handshake by Mr. Uricchio himself. And if it’s not Papa Uricchio – as even the employees fondly call him – then it’s probably his daughter Clair or his son-in-law Larry.
“We opened this restaurant with the philosophy that everyone gets treated like family. We’ll only serve top quality and if the restaurant is open then there will be one of us there making sure that our customers’ dining experience is nothing but the best,” says Clair.
Uricchio’s is pure magic. From the people to the food there isn’t a beat missed, a smile unmatched or patronage unappreciated. When you’re at Uricchio’s, you’re home. Arrivederci!

Send to a Friend

Report a Violation