WHERE'S THE BEEF? AT BARBATA'S.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

With a century-old heritage in the restaurant business and a half-century right here in the San Fernando Valley, Barbata's Steak House is like a time warp for some of us who remember when most restaurants looked like this.

And for those Generation Xers who are discovering it today, it represents retro food and the excitement of swing and jive dancing, currently enjoying a prolonged revival.

Barbata's began in Sherman Oaks in 1950 and moved to its current Woodland Hills location five years later.

It still has the same red carpet and red booth furnishings. Even the curtains look like they've never been changed.

Its founders, brothers Charles ``Chuck'' Barbata, 72, and Sam Barbata, 80, continue to operate the restaurant pretty much in the same manner as they did when they purchased the land and built it back in the mid-'50s.

Younger family members have joined them, but Sam and Chuck, the latter a saxophone player and vocalist who heads the band that has played for dancers every weekend, still run things.

In 1990, Chuck Barbata was quoted in a Daily News article about steak eateries as saying, ``We're still doing it the same way: no garlic, no sauces, no nothin','' when referring to the presentation of the same three types of steaks Barbata's has served since its inception. Those are top sirloin, New York and filet mignon.

They may be cooked without adornments, but the broiled steaks are actually served with accompaniments. Barbata's kitchen delivers its steak dinners with garlic bread, soup or salad and a choice of baked potato, pasta, fries or rice.

The only major difference in those steak meals of yesteryear is the price. For example, in 1955 the price of the top sirloin dinner was $4.50. Today it's $18.95.

Name: Barbata's Steak House.

Address: 20001 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills.

Phone: [phone].

How long in business: Would you believe 100 years?

It all started in 1900 in Ramey, near Ludlow, Colo., where the Barbata family's initial involvement in serving food and drink to the public began as part of a retail complex that included a mercantile store and saloon-restaurant owned by John Barbata.

He moved his family to Trinidad, Colo., in 1919 and opened a hotel-restaurant-saloon. He remained there for 65 years.

Meanwhile, the Barbatas had 13 children, of which two, Sam and Chuck, came to the San Fernando Valley, Chuck in 1949, Sam in 1950.

The two brothers, searching for their own first restaurant venture, purchased the former Pierce's on Ventura Boulevard at Cedros Avenue in 1950. They renamed it Barbata's Supper Club and stayed for five years.

Instead of renegotiating their lease, they decided to move to the West San Fernando Valley and purchased land in Woodland Hills.

The new Barbata's Steak House at the time was built from scratch, and it's the same building they occupy today.

Menu/cuisine changes: Barbata's has always been primarily an American steak house. But it has also featured seafood. According to Chuck Barbata, it originally cooked around 90 percent steaks and 10 percent seafood. Now, he says, it's around 50 percent of each.

Decor/physical changes: There have been no major changes throughout the years. It's basically red on red throughout. The Barbatas present dancing in the more festive Chandelier Room to Chuck's band on Friday and Saturday nights.

Recently, the restaurant was honored with a plaque from Local 47 of the Musicians Union commending the Barbatas for 50 continuous years of presenting live music.

Personnel changes: Younger members of the Barbata family have joined the restaurant. Greg, Chuck's son, is the current chef. Nephew Randy Barbata is headwaiter and bar manager.

Recommendable dishes: The New York steak ($20.95) gets the nod here. And the chef will whip up a bearnaise sauce on request. Some of the daily seafood blackboard specials like sand dabs or ``scalone,'' the processed scallop and abalone ``steaks,'' are worth trying. And Barbata's still serves a cherries jubilee dessert for two ($8).

Service quality: Attentive and professional.

Pricing: Starters and salads from $5 to $13, entrees and pastas from $11 to $23, desserts from $3.50 to $4.50. Average bar cocktail runs between $4 and $5.50.

Wine list/service: Old-fashioned, limited 15-bottle list without vintage dates but soon to be updated, according to Sam Barbata. Yes, and there are the chablis, rose and burgundy house wines by the carafe and glass but also white zinfandel, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon house wines the same way. No big wine bargains.

Policies worth mentioning: There's a two-drink minimum for listeners and dancers in the Chandelier Room on Fridays and Saturdays.

Miscellaneous comments: The Woodland Hills Rotary Club has been meeting here every Wednesday at lunchtime for 41 years. Part of the decor of the Chandelier Room is a display of around 900 Rotary International flags from chapters around the globe.

Our latest ratings: Two and one half stars for food, One and one half stars for wine, Three stars for service.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1) Sam, left, Randy, Chuck and Greg Barbata keep it all in the family at Barbata's Steak House, which has been in the San Fernando Valley since 1950, first in Sherman Oaks and now in Woodland Hills.

(2) In between mouthfuls of steak, diners at Barbata's can listen to co-owner Chuck Barbata sing and play the saxophone on weekends.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News