{"id":8784,"date":"2018-03-05T18:11:45","date_gmt":"2018-03-06T02:11:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=8784"},"modified":"2018-03-05T12:14:18","modified_gmt":"2018-03-05T20:14:18","slug":"local-dish-bibi-ji","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=8784","title":{"rendered":"Local Dish: Bibi Ji"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Bibi

Bibi Ji interior, photo by Collin Dewell.<\/p><\/div>\n

By Leslie Dinaberg<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

An innovative take on Indian food paired with locally made wines and locally sourced seafood with Australian influences all adds up to what is easily one of the most exciting new restaurants to hit downtown Santa Barbara in a long, long time!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bibi Ji<\/a>, the new restaurant from James Beard Award<\/a>-winning sommelier Rajat Parr<\/a> (who also makes his own wine labels\u2014Domaine de la Cote<\/a> and Sandhi<\/a>\u2014nearby in Lompoc) and acclaimed Chef Jessi Singh<\/a> (who\u2019s been lauded for his inventive \u201cunauthentic\u201d Indian cooking at the popular Babu Ji<\/a> restaurants in San Francisco, Manhattan and Melbourne) opened this month at 734 State St., a beautiful location across from Paseo Nuevo<\/a> with an outdoor courtyard overlooking De La Guerra Plaza<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Bibi

Bibi Ji Coconut Curry with Shrimp, courtesy photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

The name Bibi Ji\u2014an Indian term of endearment for women in the family\u2014pays tribute to the formative women in both Singh and Parr\u2019s lives who cultivated their love for food and hospitality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Drawing from his Australian and Indian roots, Chef Singh (who now lives in Santa Barbara) has created a menu featuring his self-proclaimed “unauthentic take” on many traditional American seafood dishes, with a strong focus on using local Santa Barbara purveyors. With the Santa Barbara Farmers Market just steps away, Singh is excited to change his menu regularly depending on what\u2019s available in the market that week. <\/span><\/p>\n

Currently on the menu are\u00a0SB UNI Biryani, made with local sea urchin and fried rice\u2014a dish so beautiful plated it looks like a mythical sea creature; L<\/span>ocal Oysters with\u00a0green mango pickle butter (from\u00a0<\/span>famed Santa Barbara fish monger Stephanie Mutz<\/span><\/a>); delicious\u00a0Hope Ranch Black Mussels in a curry broth; and melt-in-your-mouth Aussie Lamb Chops with mint and dill raita and apricot chutney.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Bibi

Bibi Ji interior, photo by Collin Dewell.<\/p><\/div>\n

We also enjoyed a zesty array of “unauthentic curries,” such as Beef Korma with beef short rib, curry leaves, cashew and hearty shiitake mushrooms; Unauthentic CTM, Chef Singh’s delicious riff on chicken tikka masala;\u00a0Coconut Curry with turmeric and mustard seeds and pink shrimp, a dish I’m still dreaming about, even though I normally am not a coconut lover; Chana Masala, with chickpea, dry pomegranate and green mango powder; Punjabi Kadhi, with fenugreek and turmeric yogurt curry; and Bibi Ji Daal, with ginger, garlic and tomatoes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Bibi

Bibi Ji’s SB UNI Biryani, courtesy photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

Favorite dishes from Singh’s Babu Ji restaurants in New York and San Francisco are also on the menu, like Mr. Tso\u2019s Cauliflower, Indo-Chinese style cauliflower in a tomato & chili sauce, and Gol Gappa, delicious tangy crispy stuffed shells.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Chef’s Tasting Menu\u2014offering a variety of favorite appetizers, curries, naan, rice and dessert for $50 per person\u2014is an excellent way to savor a variety of these exciting flavors without having to make a lot of decisions.<\/p>\n

\"Crudo

Crudo from Bibi Ji, courtesy photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

In addition to a “serve yourself” assortment of beers which made my husband’s heart sing, Bibi Ji\u2019s carefully curated wine offerings are designed to complement the playful menu. The wines focus on highlighting organic, biodynamic and natural wines from artisanal producers in Europe, Australia and Santa Barbara. At the moment, producers include Gonon, Jean Michel Stephane, Allemand, Metras, Laporte and Richard Leroy, with varietals ranging from Gamay and Syrah to Riesling and Chenin Blanc, which pair well with the spices in many of the dishes. <\/span><\/p>\n

Nearly all of the wines at the restaurant will also be available at Bibi Ji\u2019s bottle shop, which is located inside the restaurant and offers an esoteric collection of more than 100 bottles.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Bibi

Bibi Ji patio, photo by Collin Dewell.<\/p><\/div>\n

The inviting interior, designed by Chef Singh, features a 40-seat dining room with exposed brick, high ceilings adorned with hanging golden chandeliers and a skylight that brings natural light into the space. A brown leather banquette spans along one side of the restaurant, and on the other side is the 15-seat bar. Pops of color come from red-cushioned dining chairs and bar stools, as well as from the vibrant Indian artwork that decorates the walls. Empty wine bottles, sourced from Parr’s personal collection, are showcased throughout the restaurant. <\/span><\/p>\n

Bibi Ji is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit bibijisb.com<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or call\u00a0<\/span>805\/560-6845.<\/span><\/p>\n

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons<\/em><\/a> on March 2, 2018.<\/p>\n

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