Du Jour with Diane Baringer, Pinetta’s European

Diane Baringer’s foray into the restaurant world is one that began simply because she loved a restaurant so much, she decided to take it over when its owners retired.

Pinetta’s European Restaurant had drawn countless locals to its dark, cozy quarters on Perkins Road for singing waiters, dusty carafes and an Old World mostly Italian menu that never changed. When owner “Mr. Tony” Bubola and his wife and son decided to shut down operations in 1998, Baringer was one of dozens who stood in line for hours to sit down to a “last supper.”

It didn’t seem right for the place to close, she thought. It had been a steady source of joy for her and her husband, Dale, along with hundreds of Baton Rougeans who knew its menu by heart and enjoyed a first name basis with the restaurant’s long time staff. By 2001, Diane had reopened it with the family’s blessing, despite never having worked in the business. Son Giuliano Bubolo has been a friend and mentor, says Diane, and along the way provided the secret recipes for the signature line up.

The red sauce takes three days to make, and it, combined with a one-day sauce, is the red gravy that finishes many plates. While the Baringers added a few new recipes, they didn’t change anything else about the menu, preparation or décor, since Pinetta’s was known for its unflinching sameness. “I feel like the things that are original, should remain the same,” says Baringer. “It’s very personal. I just won’t mess with the original dishes.”

Baringer says running a restaurant hasn’t always been easy, particularly while also raising four children, but it’s been worth it. “We’ve been loving this place for a long time,” she says.

To read previous Du Jour features on local chefs and other culinary experts, click here.