Where should I begin? French, expensive, trying to hard to be something more than what it should be, however quite nice with potential. If perhaps the menu was reworked, food toned down a notch...

Where should I begin? French, expensive, trying to hard to be something more than what it should be, however quite nice with potential. If perhaps the menu was reworked, food toned down a notch and just brought to a basic simplicity.

The appetizer was not good at all, something I would have expected anywhere but here given the way the menu presents itself... so the calamari wasn't a hit in the trio, then again neither were the salmon cakes.

The duck breast, to be my main course was pushing it a little being it was over cooked. The taste was fair.

And although I ordered desert, I did pass on eating it.

I am glad my date enjoyed herself however, that is always a good thing, but we will not be repeating this outing. Small town, smaller minds, the Valentien should stick to the basics of cooking, fundamentals. And bring a true and rich culinary experience that a French dinner should entail.

We returned to Valentien after a two year hiatus.

I have been eating there since it first opened, and have eaten food by the original chef, a brilliant individual, and other chefs...

We returned to Valentien after a two year hiatus.

I have been eating there since it first opened, and have eaten food by the original chef, a brilliant individual, and other chefs who have come and gone over the years.

Only once in all the years the restaurant has been open have I been unable to walk in on a Friday night and be seated without a reservation, and that was when the new owners took over and the place was in a second homeymoon phase.

After perusing the menu, we decided on the Scallop/ black bean and Artichoke pancake starters. The pancake has grown over the years, and I like it even more. It was topped with three perfectly ripened tomato slices with medallions of goat cheese. It was delicious. The three small scallops were basically room temp and too salty with some sort of spicy, sesame seasoning, the kind one can buy off the shelf in the Asian food section. So far,  we were one for two. The wines we chose were an Australian Chardonnay, TLC, that smelled like Fruit Loops and tasted pretty much the same way. It was not a good choice and I feel should be taken off the list.

The second wine was the Black Bart Marsanne. It had depth, complexity, and some hints of , well, burnt sugar that weren't caramel, but intriguing and very satisfying.

The Tomato Caprese was disappointing after the Artichoke pancake. It was too subtle to the point of being flavorless. It was a nice dish, beautifully presented, but a poor choice after the pancake.

The entrees were a Vegetable Napolean that came out looking like it had been constructed by Frank Gehry, the architect who gave us the Disney Center in Los Angeles. It had a perfectly grilled Portobello Mushroom that was an inspiration to me. Next, two quail stuffed with goat cheese and figs on a mound of reisotto. The quail were savory, juicy and just salty enouhg. The figs and goat cheese were an intersting counterpoint. The risotto was wonderfully rich and had too much butter for me, but what a way to go. Wines for this course were red, one being a blend of syrah, mourvedre and another grape that escapes me. This wine was delicious in every dimension. The next glass was a Chateau- Neuf-de-Pape. It had the characteristics of the grape and region, but was not one of the better wines I have had of that type.

All in all, it was a good meal with outstanding service. Our waiter and waitress were attentive, prompt, professional, courteous, and the waitress is nothing short of stunning.

Highly recommended.

Great place for an anniversary or special date.  Food was excellent, service attentive but not overly so.  Bakersfield needs more restaurants like this; Valentien makes you feel like you've...

Great place for an anniversary or special date.  Food was excellent, service attentive but not overly so.  Bakersfield needs more restaurants like this; Valentien makes you feel like you've gone to Santa Barbara but without the drive.

Simply the best fine dining in town. Creative, ever-changing menu; elegant yet never snooty ambiance; great, fairly priced wine selection. Bottom line: the food is an adventure.

Simply the best fine dining in town. Creative, ever-changing menu; elegant yet never snooty ambiance; great, fairly priced wine selection. Bottom line: the food is an adventure.