{"id":9145,"date":"2018-06-18T18:16:11","date_gmt":"2018-06-19T01:16:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=9145"},"modified":"2018-06-18T15:19:56","modified_gmt":"2018-06-18T22:19:56","slug":"local-lowdown-bibi-ji","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=9145","title":{"rendered":"Local Lowdown: Bibi Ji"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Collin

Collin Dewell, courtesy Bibi Ji.<\/p><\/div>\n

The new restaurant from James\u00a0<\/span>Beard Award-winning sommelier\u00a0and winemaker Rajat Parr and\u00a0acclaimed Chef Jessi Singh (of the\u00a0popular Babu Ji restaurants in\u00a0San Francisco, Manhattan and Melbourne), Bibi Ji, takes its name from an\u00a0Indian term of endearment for women in the family, and pays tribute to the\u00a0formative women in both Singh and Parr\u2019s lives who cultivated their love for\u00a0food and hospitality.<\/p>\n

This innovative take on Indian food paired with locally made wines\u00a0and locally sourced seafood with Australian influences all adds up to what\u00a0is easily one of the most exciting new restaurants to hit downtown Santa\u00a0Barbara in a long time!<\/p>\n

\"Collin

Collin Dewell, courtesy Bibi Ji.<\/p><\/div>\n

Drawing from his Australian and Indian roots, Chef Singh (who now\u00a0lives in Santa Barbara) has created a menu featuring his self-proclaimed\u00a0\u201cunauthentic take\u201d on many traditional American seafood dishes, with a\u00a0strong focus on using local Santa Barbara purveyors. Currently on the menu\u00a0are SB UNI biryani, made with local sea urchin and fried rice; local oysters\u00a0with green mango pickle butter; delicious Hope Ranch black mussels in a\u00a0curry broth; and melt-in-your-mouth Aussie lamb chops with mint and dill\u00a0raita and apricot chutney; as well as a zesty array of \u201cunauthentic curries.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Collin

Collin Dewell, courtesy Bibi Ji.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Chef\u2019s Tasting Menu\u2014offering a variety of favorite appetizers,\u00a0curries, naan, rice and dessert for $50 per person\u2014is an excellent way to\u00a0savor a variety of these exciting flavors.<\/p>\n

Bibi Ji, 734 State St., bibijisb.com<\/a>, 805\/560-6845.<\/p>\n

\u2014Leslie Dinaberg<\/a><\/p>\n

This story was originally published in the summer 2018 issue of Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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