As a young child with his Bolivian father, Alejandro Medina recalls frequenting the back patio of the old restaurant Papagallo’s, where he admired the beauty of De La Guerra Plaza. Today, he's the general manager of Bibi Ji, the hottest restaurant in Santa Barbara, and its patio has the same view Alejandro used to marvel at.
Medina is extremely personable. I got to know him as frequent customer of Loquita, and I attributed a lot of that restaurant’s early success to his personality. I told a friend of mine that Alejandro’s charisma, attentiveness, and enthusiasm are a perfect match for Bibi Ji’s attractive environment and extraordinary food, which fuses Indian and Australian flavors. Spicy, rich, flavorful smells greet you the moment you walk in the door. Alejandro buzzes around the room looking after customers with genuine warmth.
As we sit for an early lunch at Louie’s, Alejandro explains that he doesn’t get a lot of down time – most days, he clocks in at 11 a.m. at Bibi Ji and clocks out 12 hours later. He’s excited about the second phase of the restaurant (after its much lauded opening), launching a new summer menu (that includes a succulent summer corn salad with chickpeas), and opening the front patio on State Street.