Jul 01, 2016
Frugatti's Italian Eatery
Real Italian, by Real Italians.
600 Coffee Road, Suite L, Bakersfield
661-836-2000 • www.frugattis.com
From the minute you walk into Frugatti’s Italian Eatery, its Italian authenticity is apparent. Every aspect of the restaurant has been thoughtfully planned out by owner Raffaele Giovanni Fruguglietti—who goes by Ralph, from Grumento Nova, Italy—to offer the best Southern Italian dining experience anywhere outside his home town.
Ralph opened his original restaurant in Shafter in 1985, but has been at the current Coffee Road location for 25 years. He's created not only a dedicated staff that is more like family, but loyal customers as well. He pays close attention to using authentic equipment, like a wood-burning oven imported from Milan, Italy, just like the one his family used in his childhood home’s basement. He also personally finds the highest quality ingredients to create the perfect tastes that he grew up eating and cooking with his family. He says his mother, who his children call Nonni, is the inspiration behind many dishes at Frugatti’s.
With my husband, Scott, and two of our children, Bryce and Cade, I was excited to see what Ralph had dished up for us to try. Although I have eaten at this restaurant many times, I don’t usually deviate from my favorites. (My order usually consists of a homemade roll with butter, a house salad with creamy garlic dressing, and Meatball Lasagna.) The first dish we tried was Chicken Breast with Pinot Grigio Mushroom Sauce, served with penne pasta, and Stuffed Mushrooms with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, Italian sausage, garlic, and herbs. My daughter loved the mushrooms (and ate more than her share of these) because they were deliciously tender and flavorful.
Next up was a dish that Ralph was excited to share with us—his Beef Braciole ala Basilicata from the Basilicata region of Italy. He grew up eating this dish, usually on Sundays with his whole family. This labor-intensive dish is new on the menu and starts with thin strips of beef rolled with garlic, Italian parsley, fresh parmesan, and thinly sliced prosciutto. Next, it’s browned and then simmered in tomato sauce. Served over pappardelle pasta with Frugatti’s homemade Bolognese sauce, the meat is delicious and the thickness of the pasta adds the perfect paired texture for it.
Ralph shared with us that he likes to tell a story with his menu, and one of his main plot points comes in the form of pizza. His Margherita Napolitano Pizza uses ingredients all imported from Italy and is crafted exactly like the original pizza from Naples, Italy. Starting with the Caputo flour used to make the crust, he then adds San Marzano tomatoes, which are grown in the rich, fertile volcanic ash in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius to make them stronger, sweeter, and less acidic. It is then topped off with handmade Buffalo Mozzarella. The only other ingredients added to this creation are extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and fresh basil. Ralph says he wants the tomatoes to be the “star of the show,” so he’s experimented with various ingredients, to make sure it happens. And, it does! This dish was my favorite of the evening. It was the most perfectly simple and delicious pizza I have ever eaten.
As if this wasn’t enough food, we still had to find room for dessert. All desserts are made fresh in their kitchen, and Ralph served us the Cheesecake Sampler. I tried them all, and I loved them all, but being a Reese’s lover, that one was my favorite.
Frugatti’s succeeds because of the heart and soul Ralph puts into finding the best ingredients and fine-tuning his recipes. Inspired by his mother’s amazing cooking skills, he's pleased to provide true Southern Italian dining in Bakersfield. “We believe in high quality and putting out the best because our customers are worth it,” he says. Salute E Buon Appetito!
Real Italian, by Real Italians.
600 Coffee Road, Suite L, Bakersfield
661-836-2000 • www.frugattis.com
Ralph opened his original restaurant in Shafter in 1985, but has been at the current Coffee Road location for 25 years. He's created not only a dedicated staff that is more like family, but loyal customers as well. He pays close attention to using authentic equipment, like a wood-burning oven imported from Milan, Italy, just like the one his family used in his childhood home’s basement. He also personally finds the highest quality ingredients to create the perfect tastes that he grew up eating and cooking with his family. He says his mother, who his children call Nonni, is the inspiration behind many dishes at Frugatti’s.
With my husband, Scott, and two of our children, Bryce and Cade, I was excited to see what Ralph had dished up for us to try. Although I have eaten at this restaurant many times, I don’t usually deviate from my favorites. (My order usually consists of a homemade roll with butter, a house salad with creamy garlic dressing, and Meatball Lasagna.) The first dish we tried was Chicken Breast with Pinot Grigio Mushroom Sauce, served with penne pasta, and Stuffed Mushrooms with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, Italian sausage, garlic, and herbs. My daughter loved the mushrooms (and ate more than her share of these) because they were deliciously tender and flavorful.
Beef Braciole ala Basilicata
Bryce enjoying the Margherita Napolitano Pizza
As if this wasn’t enough food, we still had to find room for dessert. All desserts are made fresh in their kitchen, and Ralph served us the Cheesecake Sampler. I tried them all, and I loved them all, but being a Reese’s lover, that one was my favorite.
Frugatti’s succeeds because of the heart and soul Ralph puts into finding the best ingredients and fine-tuning his recipes. Inspired by his mother’s amazing cooking skills, he's pleased to provide true Southern Italian dining in Bakersfield. “We believe in high quality and putting out the best because our customers are worth it,” he says. Salute E Buon Appetito!
