An apartment transformed into a restaurant, a tiny kitchen, one chef without a team, and just two servers for the service. This is the winning format of Barbara Pollastrini, a Roman chef who’s taking Los Angeles by storm.
The story
In Los Angeles, tucked away on a quiet street within a residential area, is a small apartment with something special about it: outside the door, the sign says "Da Barbara" and as you cross the threshold, you'll find not a house, but a restaurant. Yes, a two-story restaurant with just 14 seats nestled inside an elegant living room, but with a relaxed, homey vibe.
The warm and intimate ambiance is evident the moment you step inside. The green-covered walls blend harmoniously with marble countertops adorned with stylishly designed dishes and glasses. Upstairs, two tables welcome larger groups, while the downstairs is the domain of romantic couples and special dates.
In the tiny kitchen at the back, Chef Barbara Pollastrini works entirely on her own to offer guests a bespoke, tailor-made experience. There are no fancy design installations, just Pollastrini's passion and dedication, turning every meal into an extraordinary experience, with either an à la carte menu or various tasting options with 4-5-6 courses that rival the best restaurants in town.
For Pollastrini, as she tells Fine Dining Lovers in this dedicated interview, it's the fulfillment of a dream she's nurtured since childhood. Coming from the charming streets of Rome, the Italian chef, with a French culinary background, came to America with the dream of opening her own restaurant (and perhaps even earning that prestigious Michelin star that every chef aspires to, given the uniqueness of her concept). Her cooking style? Market-driven, focusing on pure, genuine ingredients.
The limited number of seats allows her to give more attention to the execution of signature dishes like "Almost a Carbonara" (which is actually a Roman-style gnocco with guanciale, artichokes, and powdered egg yolk on top). The restaurant represents the culmination of years of hard work in other people's kitchens, facing numerous obstacles on the way to making her mark in the culinary world. But each challenge has helped shape her character and made her determined to pursue her goals. Da Barbara's seasonal menu, the name of her place, offers an unconventional journey through Italian culinary traditions. From dishes like homemade ricotta with confit cherry tomatoes to focaccia that literally melts in your mouth, each course is a tribute to the freshness and quality of the ingredients. And everything is served with a touch of warmth and hospitality that makes you feel at home.
The surprising thing is that Pollastrini runs the entire operation on her own, with just two servers supporting her—no kitchen team. There's not even a pastry chef, but that doesn't stop her from serving both a liquirice semifreddo and a cannoli-strudel for dessert. Da Barbara is more than just a restaurant: it's a place where guests are welcomed like family, and where every dish tells a story of passion and dedication. With her approach to cooking based on using the best ingredients and creativity inspired by the seasons, Pollastrini continues to surprise and delight her diners, one exquisite bite at a time.
