Famous chef Scott Nishiyama has returned to the restaurant world with Ethel’s Fancy, a Palo Alto restaurant impressed by the house cooking of his maternal grandmother and mom throughout his childhood in Hawaii.
By design, it’s much less formal than the upscale locations on Nishiyama’s résumé. He helmed the Michelin-starred Chez TJ in Mountain View and in addition cooked on the French Laundry and Daniel earlier than changing into a private chef for a decade.
He and GM Jon Sloane (Quince, Chez TJ) have created an inaugural menu of small plates for family-style eating, utilizing seasonal components from farmers markets and native purveyors. Diners will discover shareables resembling Salt & Pepper Yellow Eye Beans, with spiced cherries, summer season squash and pecorino; Duck and Crystallized Ginger Dumplings with inexperienced tomato jam; and Candy Potato Beignets filled with umami mushrooms and carrot kraut. Entrees embody Pork Ribs with Japanese curry and Steamed Black Cod served with a peanut-chile condiment and preserved Meyer lemon.
Signature cocktails embody Ethel’s Fancy Martini, created with rose-infused Nikka gin and rosehip bitters; the Spumoni, an aperol spritzer with grapefruit juice and tonic; and the Sake Cocktail, with Den Brewery Sake, finger lime, oyster leaf and yuzu bitters.
Particulars: Open for dinner at 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday at 550 Waverley St., Palo Alto, with reservations beneficial. www.ethelsfancypa.com