Bakersfield Life

The Evening of Love

larger view larger view larger view larger view larger view larger view larger view larger view

The Evening of Love
Some people enjoy Valentine’s Day in with a romantic home-cooked dinner, a beautiful bottle of wine and the silence of a quiet, childfree house. Others even order the food in to keep the attention off of the meal preparation and more on togetherness.
But for the majority of Bakersfield, Valentine’s Day means chocolate, flowers and dinner at a restaurant. The problem is that everyone else in Bakersfield has the same plans.
So it’s interesting that few take the time in advance to make dinner reservations, creating hours-long waits at restaurants, whether at Romano’s Macaroni Grill or Red Pepper.
With that in mind, Bakersfield Life set out to preview Valentine’s Day dinner at three of the most sought-after dinner spots each year on Feb. 14. All three offer up the perfect Valentine’s Day combination of great food, attentive staff, and romance, romance, romance.
And the best thing is that if you act now, you can get a reservation at one of these three restaurants for the big day before they get fully booked.
So enjoy this look at three of Bakersfield’s most romantic restaurants. And be sure to not be left out this Valentine’s Day.
 
Petroleum Club
It’s not like being at the beach. And it’s certainly not like the Signature Room in Chicago, which sits on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Center. But when it comes to views in Bakersfield, there is simply no comparison to that of the Petroleum Club, located on the 12th floor of the Stockdale Tower.
And, as Special Events and Dining Coordinator Lili Marsh said, no one else is even close. “There aren’t any other restaurants in Bakersfield located off the first floor let alone the 12th.” Sure, the view really is special at Petroleum Club. Who knew there were so many trees in brown Bakersfield? But doing what Petroleum Club does is certainly different than if a McDonald’s was thrown on the 12th floor of the Stockdale Tower. The food tastes more L.A. than Bakersfield and the service is attentive to the tiniest detail without once being overbearing.
That fact alone might be the best reason to pick Petroleum Club for Valentine’s dinner (if you’re a member, that is – Petroleum Club is a private club). While most restaurants see Valentine’s Day as a moneymaker – and we certainly don’t have a problem with that – Petroleum Club books the night to where no one will feel rushed and the romantic dinner can be enjoyed to its fullest.
After dinner, head to Petroleum Club’s Sky Bar & Grille for jazz music, dancing and drinks – still with the best view in town.
 
Tam O’Shanter
The food is over-the-top delicious. The owner gives charisma a whole new meaning.
The ambiance is old-school romance exemplified. And the lights are low. Really, really low.
Such is a typical dinner at eastside landmark restaurant Tam O’Shanter, but on Valentine’s Day, owner Manny M. Mendez takes everything to a different level. Sure, the mood is still one of an exclusive New York restaurant with the ultra-low lighting and Frank Sinatra playing in the background in this building that was built in 1939, but Mendez goes all out on Valentine’s Day with roses, candles, special drinks and even a heart-shaped steak.
Heart-shaped steak? Believe it. And this isn’t a gimmicky cut of meat, either. This is one-plus pound of certified Angus ribeye, specially ordered for Valentine’s Day in the shape of a heart. Then, Mendez’s staff cooks the meat perfectly before serving it to loving couples throughout the restaurant.
Don’t be surprised to see men drop to one knee to propose on Feb. 14, either. Mendez said it happens all the time. “It looks so great in here already, and then people will bring their own balloons and teddy bears, so it’s really exciting in here,” Mendez said. “One time a man asked me to put the ring inside the champagne glass and the woman almost swallowed the ring!” When the food has been finished, don’t worry about going anywhere else for the rest of the evening’s entertainment. Club Tam will be open featuring love songs perfect for dancing and romancing for the rest of the evening.
 
Mama Tosca’s
If the traditional dinner and a movie is more your speed for Valentine’s Day, there’s no better combination than a trip to The Marketplace for Mama Tosca’s and Edwards Cinemas. But even if the theater wasn’t within walking distance, Mama Tosca’s is still one of the premier spots for Valentine’s Day dinner in Bakersfield.
While it might not have the tradition of a local restaurant like Tam O’Shanter or Wool Growers, Mama Tosca’s is nearing that Bakersfield landmark status itself after celebrating a quarter century in business last year.
And while the charm of the restaurant and bar of the old location on the corner of Ming and Ashe is gone, the newer version of Mama Tosca’s adds a level of class that simply wasn’t around in the previous location.
If you are lucky enough to score dinner reservations at Mama Tosca’s on Valentine’s Day, don’t expect to see any Valentine’s Day gimmicks. It will be business as usual. No special menu, no rose petals scattered on the tables. Instead, it will be Lasagna Mama Tosca, Veal Piccata and Chateau Briand for Two, just as on any other night.
The reason? As one owner said, “We don’t need to. People come to Mama Tosca’s to get what they already love here.” So head to Mama Tosca’s for traditional and delicious Italian food and a great bottle of Far Niente. You might just enjoy it enough to forget about the movie.