Beloved restaurant Noriega Hotel shuts down after 89 years in Bakersfield

Basque food is simple, humble, and synonymous with family. It’s part of the fabric of Kern County. Bakersfield has a higher concentration of Basque restaurants than any other city in the United States. Last week, residential favorite Noriega Hotel shuttered its doors after 89 years. The restaurant won a James Beard Award in 2011 and was a favorite of former Los Angeles Times Restaurant Critic Jonathan Gold. Journalist Steven Mayer reported on the closure.