Yes, I think the review was off base, and harsh for a Pete Tittl review. What I found curious, was the fact that the Barbeque Factory was mentioned three times in the article. We got a Barbeque Factory history in the review. Excuse me, but who cares? The restaurant being reviewed, Nikki's Smokin' BBQ, got only one mention by name in the first sentence, but Famous Dave's Barbecue got the final mention.  I think it was so bush league to mention that in the review.

It was also bush league to make accusations about how the cooking was done and print them without checking with the staff.

Tittl's a hack when it comes to reviewing restaurants. He'd never make it in a city that actually had something resembling a variety of cuisines.  He'd be laughed out of a job.

Been to Nikki's once and it was a horrible.  The tables were dirty, the food was LOUSY.  Sounds to me like Titl was not candid enough.  The quality was very low and the preparation only made it worse.  Overcooked, too greasy, on and on.  Don't waste your time or money on this restaurant.

     Is it possible for the website people to link together the original review with the resulting retort? It would help the reader to know the whole story instead of wondering what has been said in the past. As of the writing of this post, no such link exists on the page (i.e. not under “topics” or “previous posts”). A search of the website for the review is convoluted, as most search engines are, but here is the link for those who wish to read Tittl’s review. “Tittl review: Nikki's Smoking BBQ not ready for prime time” http://www.bakersfield.com/... I hope the link doesn’t die. 

Regards, Chad

I ate at Nikki's also. Food was cold and not very good. Service was okay. I wouldn't reccomend wasting money at this establishment.

WE LOVE NiKKiS! EVEN iF THE CRiTiC DONT!

My pet peeve is also parents who have children, and then forget to take care of them. Or take them swimming, when they can't swim.  Or expect the community to watch out for their children and then pay the lawsuit the parent files when the child is hurt or killed.  What happened to common sense, people? It isn't about your culture, traditions, or race. It is about common sense. A child is just that...a child.  A parent is supposed to be one who teaches a child how to grow into an adult.   Parenting isn't about the coming together of two bodies for sexual relief; it is imperative that if a child comes out of that union, TWO people act maturely and take responsiblity for that child's life and development.  It takes a village, yes, but as a back-up, not the sole provider. That is the responsiblity of the parent.

Pete Tittl can say anything he wants, and the paper backs him up. Of course, he is wrong at times, but don't bother telling the paper.  You will get the same response as was made about Nikki's.  As one person said, Tittl wouldn't make it in any area other than Bakersfield, unless another paper protected him as the Californian does.  Curious how many more times he will cover Dave's BBQ and Luigi's.   Enough is enough.  We get the idea...favorite places.  But is that what a critic does...ruminates over the places he finds wonderful?   Maybe he could take his family( his companions) to other places rather than the ones they really like, and then we would get a better represention of what is available for the rest of us. 

Like where dutchlady, Hodels and Carrows? Do you ever go anywhere that doesn't offer the early bird, senior special?

dutchlady, Title (sp) is a critic, the Californian doesn't have to back him up.  They don't always agree with editorials either.  Like any critique it's subjective not science and you won't necessarily see two people completely agree on any restaurant.

I will agree about Luigis...as good as it may be, it gets reviewed a lot more than the others.

Maybe the paper should put in a disclaimer saying "this review is not necessarily the opinion of the entire staff and management but just Pete's take on it."

Dutchlady, you should go find a copy of the Pearls Before Swine comic strip from December 2006 where the crocodiles eat Pete. My favorite line from it is "What happened in Bakersfield?!?". I have it posted up on my board of comics.

Shwaine, I don't mean to get technical about that particular comic, but I must point something out.

On that particular strip of Pearls Before Swine, when he says that he ate the food editor in Bakersfield, it means nothing. Everyone seems to have missed the point that there is no food "editor." Tittl is not an editor; he is a food critic for The Californian. Given the fact that I have met Tittl, I take no personal opinion about any of this. I just want to point that out, because everyone I knew was talking about it, but no one seemed to understand that.

Jenner said something similar in response to a reader who had complained about Tittl and mentioned the comic, but these are my own words. I figured that out after someone showed me the comic at school.

I  agree Lana.  It;s best we just go eat at the places we want to and do our own critique.

Wow, Nancy, what are you doing online at 2 a.m.? I thought I was the only person on the blogs this late at night.

Robin..it was just one of those "woke up and couldn't sleep"  things.  I think the heat has something to do with it too.  It's weird but I don't change the thermostat when I go to beg but it seems to get muggier and I wake up off and on all night.

In other towns, the food editor is a more common term. Those would be the towns that have more than one critic, with the food editor being the big name in the critics department and the rest of the critics being smaller names. So the comic's author was going with the term that would be more accessible to his syndicates... the crocs were still saying they ate Pete though.

Shwaine, this is Bakersfield! We are lucky TBC can even get the paper delivered each morning.

I know OldBlue. I was just explaining to Robin why the comic used the term "editor" instead of "critic". That we're such a large city with only one food critic is well... Bakersfield I guess.

I remember a story Pete wrote about a project I did for a class at Cal State, back when it was still a college. He sensationalized it and made us look like idiots rather than researchers. Since then, I have never relied on his reviews or opinions about anything.

Elgin..clarify Cal State just being a college please. 

Pete Tittl had came into several restaurants I worked at in the past while going to college. I must say he was honest and fair, I can also state I have been in Niki's BBQ and the food was pretty awful, majority of everything was cold, and the service was garbage. It is obvious to me Niki's main business is in the bar, but the ambiance is that of a bunch of old men trying to feel warm and cozy around some attractive women rather than the food itself. The place looked dirty, and resembled a retirement cafeteria. Pete Tittl is always more than fair, and instead of getting butt hurt about his review the restaurant owners should learn from his column and rectify it, Pete will be back and if everything still sucks he will point it out as well as he would if it improved.

 Hate to say it but that review is on point.  The man never bashed the interior decorating....Maybe the comment on the "employees only sign" was a bit insinuating but...Why would it be so blunt?  Otherwise he merely descibed it at face value.  Ive only eaten there once....I live in westchester and LOVE bbq.   We did get take out so maybe sit down is better?  I would agree with the descriptions of the food as we sampled the same items and had the same results.  Dry meat, and bland sides.  Never been to bbq factory and Im new to the area so no preconcieved notions were present.  I will say that it seems to be busy on a regular basis so they definitely have a following.  Maybe I'll return and mention the poor review to catalyst a good meal?

Nikki

To call out a local restaurant critic is probably the WORST thing an owner can do.  Sure, this guy is small time, Im afraid most things are in Bako arent they? As an example, Toro is quite arguably the best reviewed Sushi restaurant in town but does it even compare to many LA venues?  IMO no.  Are we a minutes drive from some the freshest fish on the west coast, no.  But its still damn good!  Implying this man would fail in LA is quite a shot(TRM).  A much more professional way to address the situation would be to publically invite said reviewer back for Round 2 on the house.  Not insult his reveiew as being uneducated and wrong with the help of regular customers.

Being a noob in Bakersfield, I rely on the locals advise for the best cuisine in town.  I try to stay away from the chains as much as possible and without this board, that would mean alot of trial and error.  So thanks to all you fellow eaters out there!