‘In the Weeds’: Ria Dolly Barbosa’s Petite Peso is a corner spot for opportunity

The corner of 7th and Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles has seen its fair share of lumpia. If restaurant spaces have lineages, Petite Peso is a third generation Filipino concept. Executive chef and partner Ria Dolly Barbosa opened the restaurant a month into the pandemic, which touches on traditional dishes but veers on a progressive menu. Five hundred square feet and running only on electricity with no gas, the little corner spot can comfortably fit three customers. She explains that every nook in the small space is a spot for opportunity. As they approach their year anniversary, Barbosa talks about adapting to her circumstances in this week’s “In the Weeds.”

At Petite Peso, braised chicken legs with added chile and coconut are garnished with chicharon for a modern take on chicken adobo. Photo by Ria Dolly Barbosa.