Bakersfield Life

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Summer Sips

When the mercury creeps past 100 degrees and the sun beats down on the city of Bakersfield, there’s nothing like a refreshing cocktail to refresh and rejuvenate. Whether stepping out of the pool or off of the 18th green, the very next step into one of the city’s finest establishments for a thirst-quenching drink always seems to do the trick.
Now that the summer of 2008 is one month old, Bakersfield Life took a look at six of the best places in town to grab a drink. From luxurious martinis and breakfast-drink imitators to new versions on old classics and a Bakersfield standard, this group of drinks will surely satisfy everyone from a cocktail novice to sipping savant.

Hawaiian Martini - $7.50
Cafe Med • 4809 Stockdale Highway
Bartender: Courtnee Hahn

Cafe Med is certainly known for its extensive wine list and intricate food, but it doesn’t get enough credit for its martinis. Or better yet, it doesn’t get enough credit for the complexity of its martinis. Just like the food and wine at Cafe Med, the restaurant’s martinis offer multiple layers of flavors, keeping even the most advanced palate guessing as to what’s coming next.
A great example of that comes with Cafe Med’s Hawaiian Martini. At first glance, the Hawaiian appears to simply be a mai tai in a martini glass. But as each sip is taken, the layers of flavors emerge. It is almost as if a different ingredient of the martini steps forward as each drink is taken, starting with the coconut from the Malibu rum, then the pineapple juice, followed by a slight hint of peach from the Peach Schnapps. All the while, the raspberry zest of the Chambord lingers in the background of every taste.
While enjoying this Hawaiian treat, the Bacardi 151 certainly doesn’t spoil the flavor but it does remind a summer sipper that this is a cocktail, not a glass of juice. “It’s a great drink for summer,” bartender Courtney Hahn said. “You only need to drink two. It does the trick!”
The Hawaiian Martini is perfect for a short island getaway when stuck in the Bakersfield heat. And despite sitting at the bar at Cafe Med, it will be impossible to keep from imagining a Tommy Bahama shirt on your back, sand sifting through your toes, and images of palm trees swaying in the breeze.

Hawaiian Martini
• 1 ounce Malibu rum
• 3/4 ounce Peach Schnapps
• 3/4 ounce Apple Pucker
• Splash of Bacardi 151
• Splash of pineapple juice
• Chambord float


Playboy Martini - $7
Hourglass Kitchen & Bar • 1120 Calloway Dr.
Bartender: Jana Kachelhoffer

The new kid on the block in Northwest Bakersfield has immediately made an impact on the local cocktail scene. Hourglass’ Playboy Martini is like nothing else in Bakersfield and has become an immediate hit, especially among the month-old restaurant’s female crowd.
The idea behind the Playboy came from Jeff Serda, Hourglass’ bar manager. “He is a great mixologist,” Hourglass owner Paula Hurd said. “People just love the color. It’s great for summer.”
The ambiance at Hourglass makes it a perfect reprieve from a blazing Bakersfield summer day. As the traffic roars past the corner of Brimhall and Calloway, the soothing blue walls, elegant black tablecloths and funky art on the walls create a sort of oasis for a heat-battered patron. A seat at the bar is met with a friendly bartender and then the treat of the Playboy Martini begins.
First impressions are everything and there’s nary a man who would feel comfortable with this drink in their hand. After a sip, they might change their mind. The Playboy Martini is sweet – imagine a piece of candy, with another piece of candy on top, followed by a candy chaser. But several sips in, this cocktail turns from candy to kick when the p.i.n.k. Energy Vodka takes effect.
In terms of sipping during the summer, Hourglass, the Playboy Martini and the restaurant’s long list of martinis bring Bakersfield class and innovation that has simply been missing in the past.


Playboy Martini
• 1 ounce p.i.n.k. Energy Vodka
• 1 ounce Watermelon Pucker
• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce pink lemonade
• Garnish with lemon and a cherry


French Iced Tea - $7.50
Uricchio’s Trattoria • 1400 17th St.
Bartender: Angie Calvillo

One of Bakersfield’s most forgotten bars certainly sits in the middle of what is normally considered the center of the city’s nightlife. Uricchio’s Trattoria might cook up some of the best Italian food in town, but its bar is a forgotten gem in Downtown Bakersfield. This bar defines the word “cool,” with its dim lights, friendly staff, pictures of celebrities on the walls and its own dedicated air conditioning unit. Uricchio’s is definitely a great place for a summer sip.
And don’t worry at all about the quality of the cocktails. Bartender Angie Calvillo and the rest of the staff at Uricchio’s know their stuff, as this French Iced Tea illustrates. Uricchio’s takes the Long Island Iced Tea to a new level with this concoction, adding the black raspberry flavor of Chambord to the mix. The result is a hard-hitting but invigorating drink that is a perfect refresher on a summer afternoon.
“People like this drink in the summer because it’s so refreshing,” Calvillo said. “It’s very popular.”
This French Iced Tea packs a punch. It is different from drinks that are gaining popularity around Bakersfield at some of the more posh spots for cocktails in that it is clear with every sip that there is alcohol being consumed. There is a certain sweetness to the drink but it is not overwhelming, and while the Chambord adds a different flavor to the traditional Long Island, it also helps to smooth out the harshness that can be found in a Long Island.
Another option is the Long Beach Tea, which adds cranberry juice to complete the drink instead of Chambord.

French Iced Tea
• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce gin
• 1 ounce rum
• Splash of Triple Sec
• Splash of Sweet and Sour
• 1 ounce Chambord



Tailgater’s Tang - $5
Tailgater’s • 900 Truxtun Ave.
Bartender: Bonnie Layport

Nothing equates to summer like baseball, and there’s no place in Bakersfield like Tailgater’s to watch a game. When looking for a place for a summer drink while watching the Dodgers or Angels, Tailgater’s not only offers up the baseball, but it also has a specialty drink – not on the menu – called Tailgater’s Tang that will hit the spot on a hot summer afternoon.
This is an ode to a mojito by the Tailgater’s staff. Bartender Bonnie Layport tells the story best. “We love mojitos but we can’t keep mint in stock because it goes bad so quick,” Layport said. “So (Tailgater’s co-owner) Tom Olejnik and I sat down and came up with this drink.”
As Layport suggests, this is made very similar to a mojito, but substitute orange for mint and vodka for rum. But it is made the same way. Start with ice, an orange wedge and a shot of vodka and muddle those ingredients, then add a shot of Triple Sec and fill will equal parts sweet and sour and Sprite.
There is really only one thought that comes to mind after the first sip of a Tailgater’s Tang: “Wow, this tastes like Tang.” It’s simply a great summer drink and is not overly sweet, but is definitely satisfying on a hot summer day. Amazingly, this drink isn’t popular at Tailgater’s yet, since it is a new drink that hasn’t even made the menu yet. But don’t expect for that to hold true for long.

Tailgater’s Tang
• ¼ cup ice
• Orange slice
• 1 ounce vodka
Muddle these ingredients, then add:
• 1 ounce Triple Sec
• Sweet and Sour and Sprite in equal amounts to fill


Margarita - $5.25
Mexicali • 631 18th St.
Bartender: Jorge Zamora

There’s nothing quite like a margarita at Mexicali. Maybe it’s the dim lighting and personable atmosphere; maybe it’s the homemade margarita mix; maybe it’s the free pour of tequila from experienced bartenders like Jorge Zamora. While it might be difficult to pinpoint just exactly why Mexicali’s margaritas are so great, there are few in town who would argue that the long-time Bakersfield restaurant’s tequila treasures are among the best, if not the best, in the city.
“I think that people like that we free pour here,” Mexicali manager Leonard Lomas said. “They feel like they are getting a good value for what they’re paying for. And it’s a friendly atmosphere. People like to feel relaxed when they’re enjoying themselves.”
The vast numbers of margaritas that Mexicali serves in a day is stunning. Bartender Jorge Zamora, who will complete 27 years of service at Mexicali on Aug. 13, couldn’t come up with an average number of margaritas served per day, but did have one example. “One day I counted,” Zamora said. “I made 178 in one night.”
The Mexicali margarita is certainly distinct. This frozen delight is strong and simple. There aren’t a dozen ingredients and there are no umbrellas sticking out of the top. It is simply a tequila-lover’s paradise with the strong flavor of tequila balanced by the Triple Sec and margarita mix. Enjoy multiple margaritas at your own risk, though. Mexicali is known for its strong drinks, and the margarita is certainly no exception.

Mexicali’s Margarita
• Tequila (free pour)
• Triple Sec (free pour)
• Homemade margarita mix
   (free pour)


Raspberry Mojito - $6.75
Seven Oaks Country Club • 2000 Grand Lakes Ave.
Bartender: Josh Cardwell, Restaurant Manager

There really is only one word to describe the raspberry mojito at Seven Oaks Country Club: swank. It’s a swank drink in a swank atmosphere at a not-so-swank price. At $6.75, the raspberry mojito is a bargain and stands up as a deal against any drink in town. Well, that is if you don’t count the membership fees for the club that are also involved.
But that’s beside the point. When at Seven Oaks, do as the members do, and according to restaurant manager Josh Cardwell, that means drink a raspberry mojito. “I’ve worked here 11 years and in the last two years, we’ve served more mojitos than anything,” Cardwell said. “We have a happy hour on Thursday and Friday and our chef can’t keep mint in stock. They’re very popular.”
There’s really little surprising about this raspberry mojito. To imagine the flavor, simply take a mojito and add raspberries. But this drink that is so simple is also quite satisfying. The flavors simply work, from the muddled lime juice, soda water, mint leaves and the sugar, then the shot-and-a-half of raspberry rum gives the drink a kick, the flavor and the smoothness it needs. “It’s a clean drink, very refreshing,” Cardwell said.
This drink borders on being very sweet, but if sweetness isn’t what you’re after, try Seven Oaks’ blackberry mojito that packs the same punch, but lacks the sugary flavor.

Raspberry Mojito
• Juice from ½ lime
• Soda water
• Teaspoon of sugar
• 3 mint leaves
Muddle these ingredients, then add:
• 1 ½ ounces of raspberry rum
Garnish with a mint leaf and raspberries