Frugatti's

If you pass through Bakersfield, try getting reservations at this restaurant. Sandi and I have been there twice now. It's a nice size restaurant that is decorated very Italian. You can dine outside if you can take the heat. They do have those mist sprayers like you find all over Palm Springs. As you walk in, you see the Italian wood-burning oven, a high ceiling with Italian posters, and pictures of the Raffaele family.

On our first visit, we ordered Katina's Bruschetta. I was impressed with the description of the item. Raffaele made it a point to educate people on how to correctly pronounce Bruschetta, which is brusketa. Very often, people and servers from Italian restaurants pronounce it as brusheta. Anyway, their bruschetta is excellent. The fresh chopped tomatoes were excellent with the garlic and wonderful olive oil and capers.

We ordered two different plates of pasta to share. The first one was Truffle Sacchetti, Beggar's purse-shaped pasta with black truffle shavings and truffle oil, mozzarella, and parmesan tossed in a basil pesto cream sauce. This was super delicious, even if we didn't see any truffle shavings. 

The second pasta was the Filet TIp Bucatini, sliced wood-fired filet tips tossed over bucatini pasta with creamy burrata cheese, diced tomatoes, and shaved Parmesan. This, too, was equally delicious. Loved the tomatoes. The filet was perfectly cooked, and so was the pasta, which was aldente.

Yesterday, we went back to Frugatti's, and this time we ordered the Wood-Fired Roman Artichokes. Artichoke stem and the heart on Focaccia garlic bread. The garlic bread was topped with oven-roasted tomato and burrata cheese, and the whole thing was baked in their wood-fired oven. This was lovely, very creamy, and just plain yummy.

We ordered 2 plates of pasta again. The Truffle Sacchetti, which we've had before, and this time we thought we'd try the Nona's Pasta Al Pomodoro. This is a simple pasta; if done right, it is incredibly delicious. Unfortunately, we were both disappointed. It just didn't have enough flavor. I think the tomatoes were off. It was edible but not as enjoyable as what we'd had or expected. 

We would still definitely go back since their menu is extensive, and I'm sure trying other kinds of pasta, pizza, steak, and chicken will not disappoint. Frugati's is located at 600 Coffee Rd. in Bakersfield, California.