Bako Bits: A new restaurant prepares to open downtown, Wienderschnitzel tests a Fritos Pie for the Bakersfield market

 * … EATERY: The same couple that owns the popular Japanese restaurants Toro at the Marketplace

and Enso downtown are at it again, opening a swanky new eatery on L street between 18th and 19th streets. It's call the Wall Street Cafe, occupies a spot that used to specialize in macaroni and cheese, and should be open in a week or so.

 * … COSTCO: Reader Susan Peninger wrote that the friendly man who checks receipts at Costco is named Alan Acres. "He its a true gem," she wrote, "gifted with the ability to engage people with words or song and like so many others, I walk away uplifted by his genial spirit." Peninger also mentioned that our own Woolgrowers restaurant was featured in her latest Saveur magazine.

 * … FRITOS PIE: Given our appetite for high calorie fast food, this shouldn't surprise me. But Wienerschnitzel is testing a new menu item here at its seven Bakersfield locations. It's the new Chili Cheese Fritos Dog and Chili Cheese Fritos Pie until January 27. Pass the antacid, please.

 * … BAD FORM: Check out this bit of bad form submitted by reader Andy Wonderly. "Earlier today, a man in scrubs posing as a dental assistant trespassed into my job's passcard-protected office building near Truxtun and Mohawk and began going from office to office attempting to sell a discounted teeth-whitening service. He apparently held the side entrance security door open after my coworker and I went in as to be undetected by reception. He walked in my office and targeted me first.  He had a very official-looking ledger card complete with a space to write down my credit card information (and likely any other personal information he could elicit). I declined his services and immediately notified our office manager, who promptly found him and escorted him out of the building.  He was friendly and not menacing, so my initial reaction was not shock or anger, but I knew he wasn't supposed to be there  The audacity of the human spirit never ceases to amaze.  Hopefully he can find a legitimate way to pay for his Christmas shopping."

 * … GOOD DEEDS: More good deeds from the Rotary West club. Said Vija Turjanis of the county Mental Health-Children's Services: "(The club) brought the joy and wonder of Christmas to 20 very needy youth for this holiday.  About two months ago, the children wrote Dear Santa letters,  which were delivered to Rotary West, and the awesome Rotarians made sure all the children's  Christmas wishes were going to come true. Many of these children would not have had much of Christmas if it were not for Rotary West. The Rotarians did the shopping and Bakersfield West High School Interact Club wrapped all the gifts. There were piles of gifts from bicycles, skate boards, doll houses, to electronic devises and gift cards just to name a few. A very special thanks to Rotary West for making the magic a reality for these children."

Short takes around town.: another restaurant to open downtown, Claire ties the knot and prayers for a local man at UCLA Medical Center

* ... DOWNTOWN REVIVAL: Saw on Facebook a posting by local artist Barbara Reid heralding the pending opening of a new sushi bar downtown on 19th Street , the same spot where Xander's and Benjamin's restaurants made a go of it. Barbara says the place is being opened by Yuri and Phil Chang, the folks who own Toro Sushi Bar and Grille over at the Marketplace. Toro is a class act and a second location downtown (apparently it will be called simply "O") would be a boost to the emerging downtown art and restaurant scene. Barbara, whose art graces the wall of Toro, said she was treated to some menu ideas for the new restaurant and had this to say:

 "They were all unique and yet displayed (with) what I have come to expect and appreciate as the artistry and flair of the sushi chefs at Toro. Beautiful presentation and wonderful mix of flavors. The offerings included sushi, tempura, stir-fry and salads. The opener was a serving bowl of skewered baby scallops, the tinest I have ever seen, in a spicy/sweet sauce with hints of citrus, tomato, cilantro. It was superb."

 * ... PRAYERS FOR A YOUNG MAN: Please keep Curtis Hartman in your thoughts and prayers. Curtis is the 35-year-old son of Linda Hartman, the executive director of the BARC (Bakersfield Association of Retarded Citizens) Foundation. Curtis just  underwent a double lung transplant at UCLA Medical Center and is recovering, but it will be long climb back. Curtis and Linda have a wide and supportive family. Linda's sister is Nancy Chaffin, Californian vice president of Human Resources and one of the founders of the local campaign to curb drunken driving that was recently recognized with a statewide award.

 * ... CLAIRE TIES THE KNOT: Congratulations to Claire Porter, the always gracious co-owner of Uricchio's Trattoria over off 17th Street, who got married a couple weeks ago to Mark Elieff, a physical therapist at San  Joaquin Hospital. Claire and Mark slipped off  quietly to wed in Las Vegas and then headed to New York for  their honeymoon, where they saw Bruce Springsteen at Giants Stadium. And speaking of Uricchio's, I was there the other night and had a chance to meet Mike Ariey, a local businessman who did a stint in the National Football League, playing for both the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants. He's also a graduate of Garces Memorial High School and San Diego State and represents the long line of local men and women who have represented Bakersfield in professional sports.

 * ... AMGEN TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT: It appears that the announcement of the host cities for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California will be made on Thursday, October 22. At least that's the word from Don Cohen, manager of the Bakersfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Amgen Tour is the biggest bicycle race in the country (read the previous post here) and would likely feature such heavy hitters as Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer, as well as a host of European cycling stars. Bakersfield has made a strong pitch to host one leg of the event, either the ending of a race day or the beginning of one. This would be a huge plus for our town, not only in terms of tourism and revenue but also in terms of putting Bakersfield on the map. Stay tuned.