Bakersfield:

I think my favorite exchange of the evening was Maureen pointing to the taco on her plate and the following conversation with our server.

“I mean, that’s smut, right? Definitely smut. I know smut when I see it!”

She was, of course, referring to the huitlacoche filling of her taco as she and our server attempted to identify it.

Huitlacoche, also known as “corn smut” or “Mexican truffles,” doesn’t sound that appetizing, but it’s actually something you shouldn’t pass up. We were skeptical when we first tried it at La Mexicana in Newport, but Kenji from Serious Eats convinced us when he came to visit. David, in particular, was enamored with it.

generous pile of smut

So when he saw the Bakersfield menu, he was excited to see that it was an option. And with the incentive to share a meal with lots of good friends, we couldn’t pass up a visit opening night.

I know that there was a soft opening at some point, and as opening nights for restaurants go, I thought it went pretty well. There were a few dropped glasses, and the space, much like Senate, is long and a little narrow, which can cause some traffic jams. We also had some order mix-ups, but they were easily and quickly corrected.

Bootylicious

Though they were pretty busy, the service kept up fairly well, and most of the tacos were outstanding. The green and red salsas on the table were both great, and had a nice amount of flavor and heat. Guacamole was fresh, and queso and chips were also good, though next time we’ll order them with chorizo. The house-made tortillas on the tacos definitely take them up a notch.

My premium margarita was delicious, though pricey at $12, and the house margarita (a much more affordable $6) was also good. The sangria pitcher ($20) was a great deal, made with rosé and brandy, and I’d definitely get it again.

After much discussion, and having tried almost all the tacos on the menu, we rank our selections as:

1. Fish taco
2. Huitlacoche
3. Cochinita Pibil
4. Short Rib
5. Pastor

There’s also another salsa in the back, which you can ask for if you’re feeling bold. It’s habanero, and it is also on the cochinita pibil taco. I can tell you from experience, it’s not messing around.