Welcome Back

Written by Mike Stepanovich

I became a fan of Brimstone, the grill and bar at the Padre Hotel at 18th and H streets in downtown Bakersfield, the moment I set foot in the place. I suppose you could say I’d waited decades for that moment.

I used to work downtown, in the days when the Padre was not much more than a derelict. Older locals occasionally reminisce about the Padre’s heyday in the 1940s and ‘50s, when a girl on a swing and musician Ernie Kelly were magnets. When I came to town in the early ‘80s, the aging hotel featured a phony rocket and blinking “Alamo Tombstone” neon lights on its roof that made it an eyesore and the source of civic angst. It had unsavory nicknames. It also was a mere ghost of what it once was when it first opened in 1928.

All that has changed. Now the Padre is the toast of the town. It’s the center of the downtown “social scene” a hotspot for lunch, and one of the in-places for dinner.

Like many Bakersfieldians, I followed with some anticipation the Padre’s saga as it moved toward reopening. It had been open about a week when I found myself downtown with about 20 minutes to kill before a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce office. I decided to see for myself what the buzz was all about, so I wandered over to the Padre. I loved what I saw:

• The Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style, popular in California in the 1920s, was suddenly evident now that the roof-mounted distractions had been removed, and the building had received a facelift. The former eyesore was now eye candy.
• Just inside the lobby, the Farmacy Café seemed just right for breakfast or a cup of coffee, and, I noted, paid subtle homage to the region’s agricultural heritage.
• The Belvedere Room, the hotel’s main dining room, was cool and inviting.
• The elevator maintained the original façade, with an arrow, like the hand of a clock, pointing to the floor numbers as it rotated first clockwise when the elevator went up and counterclockwise when it came down.

• The high lobby ceiling gave the new Padre a feeling of opulence; the white paint emphasized openness and airiness.
• Brimstone, the grill and bar, with its wall of windows looking out onto H Street, its stamped-tin ceiling and its hardwood floors, was reminiscent of a bygone era.

A hotel staff member noticed me looking around and offered me a tour. He took me to the top (eighth) floor, showed me a couple of the rooms and pointed out some of the other features. I was enthralled. I figured that a company that had put this much effort into converting a shell of a place into a first-class hotel likely served pretty good food. I went off to my meeting, but returned for lunch.

Was I rewarded! If you haven’t’ been to Brimstone, put it on your list. Everything I’ve tried there has been splendid.

I began my Brimstone experience with a burger. Any place worth its salt has a good burger, I reasoned, and as it turned out, Brimstone’s is among the best in town.

It’s simple at Brimstone—you have two choices: The Padre Burger (or if you prefer, substitute a chicken breast for the beef patty and you have the Padre Chicken Sandwich), or “The Works” burger (or chicken sandwich). With either, you have a choice of red cabbage salad, potato salad, or French fries. More on the sides in a minute.

The Padre Burger ($10) comes with lettuce, tomato, a dill spear, onions and your choice of cheeses—American, cheddar, Swiss, or provolone. “The Works” is the same half-pound patty with the same vegetable enhancements, but your choice of three additional toppings: bleu cheese, in addition to the other four cheeses; bacon; avocado; jalapeños; mushrooms; fried egg; barbecue sauce; and onion sticks.

The bun is a delicious bakery bun, lightly brushed with butter on the top. The patty is cooked to order (I prefer medium), juicy and flavorful. The burger comes with a light application of mayonnaise, and additional condiments are available upon request (I ask for extra mayo and mustard).

Once you take a bite it’s difficult to put the burger down; one bite leads to another and the next thing you know you’ve almost forgotten that it came with a side dish.

And the sides are exceptional, especially the potato salad. What makes the potato salad so good is that it has Dijon mustard—not a lot, mind you, but just enough mixed in to give it a unique flavor and make you wish for a bigger portion.

The fries are also first rate: crisp and crunchy on the outside, soft and flavorful on the inside. They’re seasoned with coarse-grind salt. Yum!

I found it difficult to stray from the burger on subsequent visits (really, it’s that good) but was tempted one day by a seafood salad that was pitched as a daily special. It was stunning! Shrimp and crab highlighted this delectable creation. Sadly, it’s never been offered since. I’ve overheard other diners asking about it as well, but so far no encore. Its brief appearance proved incredibly popular to the point that servers there are ready with an apology for its absence. Hopefully, the chef will bring it back.

The Caesar salad ($7) is a good alternative—crisp Romaine and lightly dressed. This classic salad also can be ordered with chicken ($4 extra) or poached salmon ($6). I also have enjoyed the Cobb salad.

My wife, Carol, and I decided recently to try Brimstone for dinner, and came away impressed. As luck would have it, we visited on a Monday and learned that all entrées are half-price on Mondays. So a 10-ounce top sirloin steak that otherwise would cost $18 is $9 on Mondays. The trout that is normally $14 is $7. A great deal!

At the enthusiastic suggestion of our server, Morgan, we started with the artichoke hummus and pita chips appetizer ($7). Morgan was right: the garbanzo-artichoke blend had not only a nice texture but also delicate flavors—the two principal ingredients blending beautifully. It disappeared quickly.

Carol, who adores shrimp cocktail, couldn’t resist Brimstone’s offering ($9). The bite-sized shrimp were tossed in a cocktail sauce with just the right amount of horseradish. It was chilled and refreshing.

Carol opted for the Padre Italian salad ($9). Carol tends to be a light eater, so I anticipated that part of the salad would accompany us home, but no, she ate every morsel. The bed of greens included tomatoes, cucumbers, white beans, Provolone, and salami, which Carol topped with bleu cheese dressing. She’s particular about her bleu cheese dressing, and raved about Brimstone’s.

I chose the skirt steak, with fries and chimichurri ($13). This flavorful cut was topped with the bright green Argentine condiment that was such a complement that I asked for more. It was delicious! The size was perfect, too.

We’re already contemplating our return visit, because Brimstone is truly a dining destination.

Article appeared in our 27-4 Issue - October 2010