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Jeff Mahin Confronts Stella Barra’s Lack of a Wood-Fired Grill

Stella Rossa's grilled grapes and burrata
Stella Rossa’s grilled grapes and burrata Photo: Stella Rossa

Stella Rossa Pizza Bar chef Jeff Mahin updates The Times today on the forthcoming and related concept he’s conceiving in Hollywood. Called Stella Barra, the restaurant is looking towards a May debut in the ArcLight-tethered address that formerly played home to BoHo. The 120-seat space will offer a similar but expanded menu than its Westside counterpart, with the chef promising, “we’re taking all the good things at Stella Rossa and refining [them].” The new additions will include house-made pastas, breakfast, and bigger servings of salad and vegetable-focused preps.

One major difference here appears to be the lack of a wood-burning grill at this Stella sequel, which has had Mahin wrestling with a new approach to a popular dish like his burrata with wood-grilled grapes, one of the Santa Monica restaurant’s signatures. In fact, the Fat Duck vet says he’s “been focusing 80% of my efforts” on replicating that sensation through a new recipe of smoky, sweet tomato jam topping the tempered burrata with Greek olive oil and oregano and arugula oil. “It could be almost even better than the grilled grapes with burrata,” Mahin hopes.

Stella Barra to open in Hollywood in May [LAT]

Jeff Mahin Confronts Stella Barra’s Lack of a Wood-Fired Grill