TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

If there's one local restaurant niche that has grown ultra competitive in recent years, it's sushi. It takes the courage of a samurai warrior to open and operate one of those restaurants in Bakersfield, no matter how trendy the food has become in recent years.

One place that didn't last was Sushiya at the Clarion Hotel near Hungry Hunter on Rosedale Highway. Apparently the public said Sushinah to that small restaurant's offering, though on our visits we found it to be above average at worst. Our waitress explained business was so inconsistent that they ended up eating a lot of it themselves or even throwing it away. As you can imagine.

So the restaurant has been renamed and reconfigured as Stix Asian Grill, though the word is slow to get out. The night we visited a disappointed couple left right as we arrived. Our waitress explained they wanted sushi. Where were they eight months ago?

It's open only for dinner on weekday nights, but as a special value, you might want to seek it out.

The new menu has burgers (obligatory), salads and about a dozen different Asian appetizers. My eye was immediately drawn to the bulgogi beef bowl ($7.95), which is a Korean-style, thinly sliced, marinated beef dish made with garlic, onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, onions -- in short everything beef should be cooked with. Like pit-style beef, if you like it, you can get out-of-the-blue cravings for it, and it's not just sold everywhere. Unfortunately the waitress said they were out of the beef, which is marinated down in the owner's other restaurant in Valencia and brought up to Bakersfield. (Others apparently order it, so it is probably worth trying.) Instead, I ordered one of three teriyaki plates (salmon, $7.95), while my companion selected an Asian spicy chicken with vegetables plate ($8.95).

It was a very satisfying meal at what essentially is just a step above Chipotle in pricing. The salmon, presented on a bed of raw cabbage and served with rice, a vegetable egg roll appetizer and a salad with ginger dressing, had a smokiness that made it quite alluring. The minute my companion saw it, she said, "I want half of that." The deals we make. I didn't feel exploited, however, considering her chicken plate. The spiciness wasn't overwhelming, and the quite fresh vegetable mix included red and green peppers, carrots, zucchini and onions, all artistically cut into thin strips.

My companion thought the atmosphere very humble but still charming, with the red chandeliers, aged molding and the comfortable wooden chairs. The walls are black, and the sushi bar looks lonely. No one seemed to want to sit there without a chef creating on the spot.

One added value note: Wines by the glass were only $4 and the choices included decent Mondavi and other mid-priced varietals. You pay more for valley box wine at some restaurants.

If money is tight and you need some Asian food, check out Stix.