Bakersfield Life

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In each issue of Bakersfield Life, we send the Dining Divas to one of Bakersfield’s most prestigious restaurants. This month, the ladies take in the flavor of a new location in Northwest Bakersfield. The Divas took notes from their experience at The Orchid to give you an inside look at Thai fusion at its best.

A New Place For Lunch
Lydia - I felt like the fine folks at Bakersfield Life were reading my mind when they told us we were heading to the new Thai fusion restaurant The Orchid for lunch. Everyone I run into has been talking about this place. It’s been a while since I’ve heard so much chatter about a new restaurant in town. People can’t tell me enough about the pay-as-you-go wine bar or gush enough about the lobster-studded Mac ‘n’ Cheese.

Tracy - The Orchid is located in the Brimhall Square shopping center on the corner of Brimhall and Calloway. Just look for their fabulous outdoor dining patio with wrought iron chairs and market umbrellas.

Ambience
Lydia - Walking into The Orchid, I was struck by the atmosphere. The dining room décor is nicer than I expected of a place in a strip mall. The dark woods and dim pendant lighting give it a subdued, high-end feel.

Tracy - From bright warm colors on the walls to dark tones in the wood to the grey slate water feature in the dining room, it’s easy to tell that this is not a typical restaurant in Bakersfield.

The Wine Bar
Lydia - I immediately saw the wine bar so many of my friends have been talking about. It’s like a high-tech wine vending machine. The pre-paid cards can be fed into slots above each bottle for an individual tasting. There are different prices for a taste, a half glass and a full pour. I could see how this do-it-yourself wine tasting would be a blast while out with friends.

Penny - One side of the bar houses the reds and keeps them at room temperature. The other side of the bar is chilled and stores the whites. I love the concept and felt very metropolitan in Bakersfield.

A Look at the Menu
Lydia - The menu of lunch specials at The Orchid is pretty impressive. The small spiral-bound book is divided into four sections: Curry, Stir Fry, Noodles & Rice and Noodle Soup. With multiple choices in each section as well as choices of meat on most, there are numerous options to choose from.

Appetizers
Lydia - The first dish to arrive was the  Siamese Chicken Satay. Two good-sized planks of white meat chicken were grilled on bamboo skewers and served with the requisite peanut sauce and cucumber salad. The chicken was moist and well cooked with a nice flavor on its own. I think a Thai restaurant can be measured by the flavor of its peanut sauce. As far as I’m concerned, this sauce made the grade. Thick and rich with hints of coconut milk and garlic, it is complex while holding its peanut flavor.
    In addition to the Satay, we decided to try the Blue Crab Tartlet ($5). This cold
appetizer is light and refreshing and consists of two small pastry shells filled with a mixture of crab tossed with Meyer lemon oil, shallot vinegar, red onion, tomato, avocado and mango. This starter certainly won’t ruin an appetite – it’s small – but I appreciate that. Instead of filling me up, the bright flavors of these quick bites made me look forward to the rest of the meal to come.

Our Meal
Penny - I ordered the Mac ‘n’ Cheese with lobster. It was luxurious mac and cheese with five types of cheese, truffles and lobster. I offered each of the girls a bite, but I kept my hands on the bowl as I passed it to Katie since she loves comfort food. Sixteen dollars for pasta might seem a little extravagant, but trust me, the creamy cheese paired with the tasty lobster was well worth the money.

Lydia - My entrée was Emerald Curry with Chicken. This green curry consisted of a good-sized bowl of white meat chicken mixed with basil and bamboo shoots in a spicy light green sauce that tasted of citrus, basil and coconut. It was exactly what a good Thai green curry should be – spicy yet light with complex flavors that work on multiple levels topped off with an amazing fragrance. Despite telling myself I should only taste my dish, I went back to this curry over and over. I thought it was a particularly impressive $8 lunch.

Tracy - My Blue Crab Avocado Salad ($12) was beautifully presented with spring mix greens and real blue crab meat in a deliciously rich, creamy sesame dressing. The crab was nestled on top of a bowl of shredded cabbage and carrots, which accompanied the large slices of cucumbers, chunks of avocado and cherry tomatoes. 

Katie - I love a delicious Pad Thai. What makes The Orchid’s Pad Thai exceptional is how light and fresh it is; not tasting fried in the least. The coral-colored egg noodles are light and fluffy and full of tangy, nutty flavor. The chicken and shrimp nestled inside the noodles are perfectly cooked, tender and juicy. On top of the hot noodles is a menagerie of crisp shredded carrots, bright purple-hued shaves of cabbage, crisp strings of bean sprouts and ample shreds of cooling cilantro. All of The Orchid’s dishes are as dazzling to the eyes as they are to the palette and the Pad Thai is a feast for the eyes.
    After finishing up our entrées and feeling ourselves slip into food mood, owner/manager June Boerger presented us with yet another entrée to share. The aroma of freshly grilled lamb chops was far too much to resist. I really have to thank June because these lamb chops were some of the best I have ever eaten. I pride myself on making a killer grilled lamb lollipop but I have to admit that these are better than mine. The chops are marinated in lemongrass oil, citrus and salt and pepper, then grilled perfectly, served on a tower of fluffy fried potato wedges and accompanied by refreshing mango avocado salsa. Absolutely delicious!

Dessert
Katie - We were not going to order any dessert but June had other ideas. She brought three gorgeous desserts and there was no way we could refuse. The first was a three-layer Chocolate Mousse graduating from white to dark chocolate. The second was a golden Crème Brûlée and the third was the Chocolate Pyramid filled with white chocolate mousse and dusted with cocoa. All three were incredible, but if I were forced to pick a favorite I would have to choose the Chocolate Pyramid. It is a chocolate lover’s dream: rich, creamy and filled with white chocolate. All the desserts I saw are the perfect size; just enough for a satisfying treat.

Impressions
Lydia - The most appealing thing about The Orchid is that it seems to have something for everyone. Whether it’s a die-hard Thai fan looking for a curry fix or someone intrigued by the idea of truffle-infused lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese, The Orchid is ready to deliver.

Tracy - My first impressions of hearing about The Orchid were how fancy and expensive a restaurant it is. My impressions of it now are welcoming, stylish and affordable. The menu has many choices from spicy curries to gourmet entrées. The ambience was wonderful and the wine bar was creative and inviting.

Penny - All of the dishes were artfully presented. The only thing to outshine the beauty of the presentation is the unique blending of tastes that make this Thai fusion cuisine a one-of-a-kind restaurant in Bakersfield.