| June 30, 2022 | Food & Drink People Wine and Spirits Culture Neighborhoods Food Community
Regally situated as 1890 Bryant Street’s cornerstone is the exquisitely refined dining experience of Ernest. Recently added to the California Michelin Guide, this stunning restaurant is an essential visit within the trendy Potrero Hill neighborhood, as their bright and casual atmosphere truly supplements their inventively complex, elegant, and, literally elevated, global-inspired dining experience.
From the expansive lower-level bar, to the incredibly genial servers and playfully modern interior decor, Ernest has rightfully garnered much acclaim since its one year of opening, and that’s not even mentioning their delectable cuisine.
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Ernest is cultivated from mastermind Chef Brandon Rice, formerly gracing the kitchens of Rich Table and Coi, and is devoted to highlighting not only the freshness of their culturally familiar ingredients with their market-driven menu, but also the community in which they source them.
Even from recruiting the help of talented Matt Hallyburton to handcraft the bespoke plates with their signature emblem, Ernest stays true to its humble roots while still sustaining a balanced air of fun and contemporary sophistication.
Such ingenious union of ideas and moods is embodied directly in the food, which not only utilizes the freshest in-season produce, but also takes their well-known tastes and textures and inventively pairs them in otherwise unconventional, but intriguingly successful combinations.
“It keeps my cooks engaged with ingredients they may have never cooked with or paired together before,” Chef Brandon proudly states when describing his childhood traveling inspirations and later kitchen testing processes.
A standout on their curated menu is the “Let The Kitchen Cook For You,” which is a comprehensive sampling of everything essential to try here.
Periodically throughout this exhilarating culinary journey, you will kindly be served six various wines from a Lambrusco to a fortified wine, each tailored to perfectly supplement the specific courses. You begin with a generous seafood platter of the freshest oysters, Hon Hamachi with sunflowers, Kaluga Caviar with housemade tater tots, crispy Uni toast, and much more.
The beef tartare with roe, sushi rice, and toasted nori is a texturally phenomenal must-try.
The dishes come out fast and plenty, leading to the second course with sesame, miso, and Nama Yuba Heirloom Tomatoes, buttery Parker House Rolls, and the rich Sea Urchin Carbonara. This banquet is then followed by Duck Confit Fried Rice, stone fruit with crispy pork belly and escargot, and a Ratatouille Kebab.
Ernest’s dedication to using fresh seasonal ingredients and showcasing their flavors through uniquely contrasting or complimentary flavors truly radiates within each juicy and bright bite.
Lastly, it is imperative to save room for dessert. Paying homage to both the traditional Japanese Kakigori and the comforting American Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake popsicle bars, their piled-high Strawberry Shortcake Shaved Ice amalgamates childhood nostalgia with modern gastronomy.
Perfectly sweet, tenderly melt-in-your-mouth, and liberally topped with crème fraiche and homemade strawberry syrup, this is a colossal end to an equally monumental meal.
Ernest is a swanky and genuine establishment. The precise care of delivering novel dining experiences to their patrons exudes from the detailed plates to the cozy decor and especially every bite.
You can make a reservation to this coveted corner landmark here.
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Photography by: Jayden So/Unsplash
