Sushi Rice
Ernest is the primary solo enterprise of Chef Brandon Rice, previously of Wealthy Desk and Coi, and for anybody who’s accustomed to these eating places, it shouldn’t come as a shock {that a} eating expertise right here goes to be not solely memorable, however distinctive and charming. Although Ernest is celebrating simply its first yr in enterprise in San Francisco’s vibrant Mission District, it instantly made waves within the metropolis’s culinary world because of Chef Rice’s playful, eclectic method to elevated delicacies. To that time, Ernest was most lately added to the 2022 Michelin Information for California.
The menu is split up in to 4 components: uncooked bar; snacks; salads and greens; and meat & seafood. Every part is made up of dishes made to shock and delight the palate in ways in which you wouldn’t count on.
“Ernest’s menu options meals that I prefer to eat myself,” explains Chef Rice in response to what the inspiration is behind the menu at Ernest. “It’s an expression of what I like about meals with flavors of my upbringing, journey, and dealing all over the world. The meals has thought behind it. I need to current flavors which are elevated, whereas nonetheless feeling just like the meals is approachable and informal.”
A couple of examples on the ever-changing menu is the Keluga Caviar Tater Tots, which is offered in two bowls: one stuffed with crispy tater tots and one stuffed with creme fraiche with chives, lemon zest and a pleasant dollop of caviar. One other stand out? The Sushi Rice which is a wonderful tackle beef tartare served with shiny orange ikura (salmon caviar), sushi rice and nori to create hand rolls with.
Different present menu highlights embody the Uni Toast with jamon serrano and quail egg; Mexican Shrimp Coctel with avocado and saltines; Lo Mein Sea Urchin ‘Carbonara’ with Olivier’s bacon; Pork Tomahawk Tonkatsu; and the Duck Confit Fried Rice.
Uni Toast with jamon serrano and quail egg
The menu gives diners a real culinary journey that ends with a choice of unbelievable, nostalgic desserts: the signature Ernest sundae with a vanilla hazelnut swirl, with hazelnut praline and a home made milk chocolate Magic Shell; the present shaved ice taste, Strawberry Shortcake, with home made strawberry jam and topped off with a yellow cake crumble and whipped cream; and at last a decadent basque cheesecake.
“We’re not a restaurant with boundaries – we’re cooking what we like and alter the menu regularly. It’s about presenting seasonal flavors. In California, we have now the most effective produce on the earth, with seasons which are continually altering what’s out there to us on the farmers markets. Our objective is to create dishes which are new and thrilling, but comfy.”
We chatted with Chef Brandon Rice on this previous yr in enterprise; menu highlights; inspiration and extra. Right here’s what he needed to say!
How has your earlier experiences working at locations that embody Wealthy Desk and Coi ready you in your first solo undertaking, Ernest?
To me, a restaurant is a sum of all of the locations you’ve ever labored. Everybody has their very own cooking fashion, so every kitchen has a method of shaping you. I take into consideration Coi and the way unbelievable Daniel Patterson’s palette was — he taught me the way to season meals. Then with Wealthy Desk, I had the chance to actually run a kitchen alone and prepare dinner my very own fashion of meals.
Earlier than these San Francisco experiences, I hung out in Boston with Ken Oringer. He actually launched me to the meals I nonetheless love, to today. Trying again, Ken’s kitchen remains to be one of the thrilling kitchens I’ve ever been in.
Sea Urchin ‘Carbonara’
Speak about what this primary yr in enterprise regarded like for you, did the pandemic have an effect on enterprise?
Our first yr in enterprise was nothing like I ever anticipated, whereas additionally exceeding all expectations. It’s been unbelievable up to now and I’m so grateful for the group and reception we’ve obtained from company. We opened on March 17, 2021, in the midst of COVID.
Following SF metropolis steering, we had been solely allowed to have out of doors eating with simply room for about 40 seats. It was nothing like what I imagined opening doorways of my first restaurant can be like – I couldn’t even see the company from the kitchen.
As restrictions had been eased, we had been capable of develop from solely outdoors to 50% inside, then 75%, then lastly totally inside. Actually, I look again and acknowledge that whereas it was extremely difficult to run outdoor-only eating, this smaller variety of company helped our workforce. It allowed all of us to ease into the true tempo of the restaurant. I go searching our full eating room in the present day and I’m extremely pleased with the place we’re only a yr after opening our doorways.
How would you categorize your delicacies? What do you hope company take away from a eating expertise right here?
I’d say ‘Fashionable California’ as a result of it embodies every thing — the most effective produce on the earth, seafood, wonderful butchers. I like to play with flavors and create dishes which are unexpectedly nostalgic however may be wildly new for a visitor, giving them an expertise that surprises but comforts them by means of flavors all through the meal.
My hope with that is that our company come, discover the menu and have a good time. There’s no better feeling than when individuals are making reservations to come back again earlier than they’ve even left.
Tasting menu.
Speak about menu highlights and what will get you excited at the moment within the kitchen.
The Beef Tartare was one of many first dishes that I concepted once I was dreaming up Ernest. I beloved the thought of enjoying with the basic beef tartare and flavors of sushi rice – it’s considered one of my favourite issues to eat on my days off. I feel there’s each a newness and a familiarity to the dish that excites company.
Our Uni Toast has grow to be a mainstay – it’s decadent, tender and textural. And we simply added Crab Rangoon Dip to the menu. It’s been floating across the again of my head for some time now, and I like the way it embraces the freshness of summer season stone fruit from considered one of our favourite farms, Kashiwase Farms.
I get actually excited by what cooking within the Bay Space gives, like all the attractive oysters from Hog Island and seeing the summer season produce on the farm stands. We actually load up our market carts this time of yr. Much more, seeing the workforce round me develop with the restaurant has been an unbelievable factor to steer and be part of.
We’ve created this each day ritual the place considered one of our kitchen workforce members will give a brief pre-shift speech to begin service. Seeing how this kitchen is coming collectively and galvanizing one another, cheering one another on every night time, is unbelievable.
The strawberry shortcake shaved ice is considered one of my favourite desserts ever. How do you give you these seasonal flavors? How did you make this explicit creation?
I actually love basic Americana desserts. Rising up, I ate strawberry shortcake in the summertime and Ioved the Good Humor Shortcake bars that you could possibly purchase from the ice cream truck. I assumed the shaved ice was an ideal alternative to create one thing playful and take you again to these flavors out of your childhood.
Strawberry Shortcake Shaved Ice
We all the time characteristic a shaved ice on the menu, updating the flavour seasonally and all the time enjoying on basic desserts. We’ve had enjoyable with these recreating peach and apple pies; a black sesame tiramisu; pineapple upside-down cake; and a basic rainbow shaved ice. Being in California, we get stunning fruit 12 months out of the yr and strawberry season has a prolonged keep within the Bay Space, so we’re capable of actually make this one the star of summer season.
This identical nostalgia drove the pondering behind the Ernest Sundae and cheesecake as effectively. They’re elevated variations of the desserts I’ve beloved my whole life.
Do you additionally make the opposite desserts? The desserts had been as equally a spotlight because the savory dishes!
Sure, we do! Our cheesecakes are baked each morning from scratch, and we additionally craft the entire sundae components in home. We make our personal tender serve base; we toast the hazelnuts and prepare dinner sugar to a deep amber letting it set then mixing with hazelnut oil to make our personal praline and crafting our personal ‘magic shell’ chocolate shell that we pour table-side. It’s a enjoyable second seeing company gentle up as that chocolate is poured.
