Jordana Tovich, owner of Santa Barbara Italian Cafe in Pearland, is not apologizing for quality.
The Croatian native—better known as “Mama” to her staff—said she has taken a lifetime of experience in the kitchen and created authentic Italian flavors for her customers every time they sit down at her table.
“Here, everything is made from scratch,” Tovich said. “That’s why it takes some time. But most of the people say it was worth it. It’s not already prepared and precooked. No. When you order something, we start to cook.”
Tovich said much of her family, who are from the historical region of Dalmatia, loved to cook. Her grandfather owned a chain of butcher shops, and several women in her family worked in the restaurant business in Croatia.
