Art on the walls, art on the plates, seasonal decorations inside and out, notably the annual ghoulish Halloween critters that haunt the restaurant — what’s not to like? Owner Barbara Beltaire is a natural for the food business, going back to her grandfather’s time — he owned a chop house — and she continued the tradition by attending culinary school, culminating with a 10-year stint at Piatti just across the street from the taco shop she turned into Barbarella. Prominently featured on the bar is a Niki de Saint Phalle figurine, made specially for her by her godmother Niki. Look around and you will see a number of menorahs, then check out the lunch menu and find Nana’s brisket as a regular item. Breakfast is served until Father’s Day, with unusual dishes including a spaghetti and scrambled egg combo and lemon ricotta pancakes — sorry, didn’t try them; I don’t do breakfasts. And the lunches have sandwiches like croque madame, in addition to the brisket, plus pasta, lots of salads, pizza and various entrees. Most important, Barbarella prides itself on using organic products and Chino Farms produce. Preparation is prime, and chef Felipe, although he has a background in French and Italian cuisine, keeps it simple at the behest of boss Barbara. Bottom line, the food is simply elegant. I was there for dinner, and the first thing I noticed was the crusty, delicious bread that is delivered partially baked and finished when ordered, giving it a unique exterior. I could have eaten the whole thing but the food awaited. I started with the lentil soup, which melted my heart. I can say unequivocally that this perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned soup is the best lentil concoction I have ever tasted, so good I could eat it every day without tiring of it. With my tongue still vibrating from the flavor, I turned to the seared scallop, sided with borlotti beans, tomato confit, done with herbs and white wine — another winner. And I was convinced — something that isn’t too hard to do in my case — to try a bit of pan-roasted branzino (I had never heard of it either) with heavenly baby artichokes, all of it sweet and fresh. Not a misstep this far. Still to come was the chianti-braised short ribs with valdivia fall vegetables and a bit of rapini, richly sauced and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Needless to say, after all that, as is my wont, I perused the goodies on the dessert menu, like the much vaunted profiterolles, crepe, fruit crisp and Grand Marnier crème brulee, but ate with my eyes, having filled up on the aforementioned entrée items, still savoring them in my head. Something to look forward to is the seven days of Seder, which Barbara does every year with latkes, matzo ball soup and everything that goes with the traditional feast. In case you didn’t know, unlikely as that is, Barbarella is located at 2171 Avenida de la Playa, and the phone number is (858) 454-7373. You’ll discover why folks return again and again to this iconic restaurant.
