TAHOE JOE’S FOR STEAK

I was at work the other day and one of my coworkers asked me where a good steakhouse was to be found. There are a number of choices here in Bakersfield when it comes to nice cut of beef grilled to flavorful perfection. A favorite location my wife and I always return to, since we have lived in Bakersfield, is Tahoe Joes. The original Tahoe Joes opened in Fresno in 1995. They quickly expanded to 10 restaurants in California, serving steaks, seafood, and chicken. Befitting their name, the interior design is very rustic, looking like a large log cabin, something right out of Bonanza. They have a full bar sporting multiple televisions where you can watch sporting events such as tonight’s Dodgers versus Giants playoff game. A few years back the franchise began to struggle financially and closed all but five of their restaurants. The Covid pandemic did not make things easier, and they eventually filed for bankruptcy. It was recently announced that the same company that owns Famous Dave’s barbecue restaurants had purchased the five remaining Tahoe Joes.

My wife and I went on a Saturday evening about 6:00 o’clock, a little early for the dinner crowd. That was evident when we left, approximately one hour later, and the lobby was full of families and date night couples waiting for a table. As it was, we were seated immediately, always a nice plus when you are dining out. Maddie, our waitress was very attentive and seemed to always be smiling. Almost as we were sitting down, she had bread on the table. I usually try not to fill up on bread. I want plenty of room for my meal, but this bread was exceptional. It was warm and soft, as if it had just come out of the oven.

We started with an appetizer called railroad camp shrimp. The shrimp are hand battered tempura style and tossed with wontons and peanuts. They are served with a sweet and spicy garlic-soy sauce, very light and tasty. I was in the mood for something sweet and the Cabo-Rita with the shrimp really satisfied my sweet tooth. The shrimp was followed by a large bowl of clam chowder for each of us. I love my clam chowder and several places in Bakersfield serve a very good chowder, including Tahoe Joes. It was very thick with chunks of clams, potatoes, and celery. Purists will probably hate me for saying this, but I like my chowder with pepper and tobasco sauce. I like my food a little spicy anyway and I think the combination of pepper and tobacco really enhances and brings out the flavor of the chowder.

For dinner I had a Tahoe T-bone steak, grilled medium rare, with a loaded baked potato. The steak was 22 ounces, seasoned and grilled to perfection. My wife had the Knob Creek Salmon with broccoli and a loaded baked potato. The salmon is marinated in a combination of ginger, brown sugar, and Knob Creek Bourbon, all of which gives it something of a zesty taste. For dessert we shared a piece of cheesecake topped with whipped cream. It wasn’t bad but I have had better. And remember, this is Tahoe Joes STEAK house, not The Cheesecake Factory. All in all, it was a fine meal. The thing I like about Tahoe Joes is, it’s affordable. Yes, there are better steak houses out there. At those establishments dinner for two with dessert and a bar tab is going to cost you $150 or more. Our meal was a very comfortable $110. The ultimate goal here is to find the right combination of flavor and affordability. Tahoe Joes does just that. It is why we keep going back.