Chef Michael Mina’s restaurant Estiatorio Ornos serves innovative Greek cuisine sunny side up.

23-karat gold-infused honey finishes the confection

Estiatorio Ornos

Savor the moment at Michael Mina’s restaurant where guests can experience the heartfelt hospitality and vibrant cuisine of Greece at its finest.

BY STEPH KEAY

ONE OF THE MOST BREATHTAKING BEACHES IN GREECE, ORNOS lies along a dreamy isthmus bridging the tranquility of the seaside with the urbanity of Mykonos. San Francisco’s Estiatorio Ornos, a restaurant that transports diners to the breezy Mediterranean isles, celebrates the spirit of this beautiful paradise.

Led by Michelin-starred chef Michael Mina in partnership with chefs Girair “Jerry” Goumroian and Nikolaos Georgousis, executive chef Daniela Vergara directs an inspired menu served in the warm yet elegant space. Its storied location at 252 California Street was previously home to the flagship Michael Mina restaurant and, prior to that, the iconic Aqua where Mina rose to renown. It continues its culinary legacy with Estiatorio Ornos, a 76-seat restaurant that pays homage to Greek cuisine, hospitality, and sensibilities, while representing Chef Mina’s continued innovation in San Francisco’s culinary scene. Columns of stark white drapes flow from the ceiling to the floor, separated by oversized floral arrangements spilling over their ivory vessels. Cozy, coral-colored banquettes flank one side of the airy dining room next to a series of wall niches featuring handmade Grecian sculptures. The setting is luxurious but playful and inviting, combining upscale dining with a lively atmosphere.

“I grew up with large, nightly tableside meals being at the epicenter of family gatherings,” says Chef Mina. “Ornos’ menu is reflective of this spirit, as dishes are meant to be shared while connecting with loved ones, discovering new flavors, and fully embracing the celebratory spirit of the Greek Isles.” Inspired cocktails and an extensive wine list complement shareable plates that are simple, fresh, and flavorful—Greek food at its epitome. Fish selections are flown in daily from around the world, and diners can even consult the in-house fish sommelier for recommendations. “We wanted to create the unique position of the fish sommelier to serve as a knowledgeable expert in their craft and be at the forefront of sourcing, preparation, and cooking every piece of fish we serve at Ornos,” says Chef Vergara.

Though each preparation has been highly thought out to showcase the delicate flavor and qualities of each fish, guests can also request their selection simply grilled whole over natural oak and finished with oregano, lemon, and Santorini capers. The mild, sweet Mediterranean sea bass is grilled with steamed greens or offered oven-roasted with a savory eggplant and tomato briam—a roasted vegetable medley. There’s a salt-crusted variation on the meaty Mediterranean sea bream, cracked tableside to reveal the moist, perfectly seasoned fish within. Meanwhile, petrale sole comes phyllo-crusted with skordalia—a traditional potato and garlic spread—and caviar sauce, complementing its delicately nutty flavor. Salmon is served grilled with a generous heap of a refreshing Aegean cucumber salad perched atop. Finally, sweet, succulent lobster cooked in Greek brandy crowns an Athenian-style pasta punctuated with perfectly ripe tomatoes.

While the seafood might appear to be the draw, visitors would be remiss to skimp on Estiatorio Ornos’ appetizers and entrées featuring lamb, beef, chicken, and even vegetarian dishes. Despite declaring myself somewhat on the other end of the scale when it comes to eating vegetarian, I’m enamored by the grilled manouri salad with stone fruits and hazelnuts and drizzled with honey balsamic dressing. It is divine—the slight tang of the manouri and floral sweetness of peaches are reminiscent of a languid summer by the Aegean Sea where the warm sun seems to slow time itself. Another similarly transcendent vegetarian dish is the wild mushroom and eggplant moussaka. Unbelievably creamy, the bechamel is so rich and the mushrooms so indulgent, it holds up to the non-vegetarian entrées on the menu—and then some.

Grilled octopus with capers, white beans, and red onion Hamachi crudo with serrano, dill, and kiwi salsa verde

Other highlights include the grilled octopus, exceptionally tender and paired perfectly with briny capers, marinated white beans, and red onion—another tastefully balanced dish that conjures memories of a sun-soaked vacation in the Mediterranean. The hamachi crudo is another delectation topped with a hint of heat with serrano, dill, and a delightful kiwi salsa verde. The piquant sauce cuts through the fatty fish. The appetizer menu also pays tribute to Greek’s famed dips, including tzatziki and hummus as well as lesser-found spreads, such as the smoky melitzanosalata; spicy, feta-based tirokafteri; and rich, umami-flavored taramasalata.

Be sure to save room for dessert. “The Lemon,” a picturesque sponge cake delicately shaped into its namesake fruit and filled with tart lemon jelly, is served with vanilla bean crumble. The star of the show and a fitting finale to a phenomenal fest of fine food is the baklava sundae. In a dramatic tableside presentation, crisp baklava is served with freshly scooped frozen Greek yogurt, toasted pistachios with a punch of preserved citrus Amarena cherries, and a crumbly sesame crunch. The grand confection is finished with luscious drizzles of 23-karat gold-infused honey.

Estiatorio Ornos’ menu showcases dishes with flavors ranging from subtle to full-bodied and textures from melt-in-your-mouth sea urchin to crisp zucchini fritters. They all pay homage to Greek cuisine’s roots, embodying both simplicity and elegance. “I want guests to walk away from their dining experience at Ornos feeling excited to return and with the intention of bringing other people in their life to have the same experience,” says Mina. Estiatorio Ornos is a destination to experience Greek food and hospitality at its most inspired, reveling in both the generous spirit of its culture and the delicious synergy of high-caliber ingredients. Grilled salmon and Aegean cucumber salad

Salt-crusted sea bream is revealed tableside

Savor the Season at Lucia

Helmed by a new chef, the dishes at the destination restaurant of Bernardus Lodge & Spa in Carmel Valley impart a sense of time and place.

BY STEPH KEAY

Christian Ojeda, executive chef of Lucia Restaurant & Bar

King salmon on a bed of succotash and potatoes

A LUXE ESCAPE NESTLED IN THE BUCOLIC SETTING OF Carmel Valley, Bernardus Lodge & Spa is a 28-acre wine country retreat offering 73 guestrooms, suites, and villas tucked among picturesque vineyards and gardens. Feathery clouds roll in over the Santa Lucia Mountain range in the early morning, best viewed from the resort’s tranquil rose garden. However, the garden’s not limited to just these blooms—a chef’s garden spans two acres between pops of bright pink and sunset orange dahlias, well-serviced by three hives of buzzing Italian honeybees. It’s fitting, then, that the resort’s restaurant takes its name from the mountain overlooking the expansive garden that provides the fresh, flavorful produce for its homegrown dishes.

Following an intensive, nationwide search, chef Christian Ojeda took the helm of Lucia Restaurant & Bar in February. Born in Utah with Chilean roots, Ojeda grew up in New Mexico, and his training took him worldwide before he landed at Montage Deer Valley where he served as executive chef prior to Lucia. He attributes his classic European technique to time spent in France and Italy, which he now unites with California’s farm-to-table approach, championing the relationships between chef and producer, food and terroir.

Dusk creeps into the valley, and Lucia transforms into an intimate space with a cozy patio and flickering firepit (the better to enjoy the restaurant’s ample list of wine and cocktails, including nightcaps such as the apple spiced Fireside Snuggler). The menu highlights local and seasonal produce along with the region’s artisans and producers, serving guests a culinary experience that “takes them back to the land.”

We start with a seasonally inspired soup, warming and buttery, a pumpkin and ginger concoction topped with local olive oil, pumpkin seeds, and chives. It’s not just a taste of the current time—early autumn—but also the place. Just that morning, I had passed the small patch of pumpkins in the rose garden no more than 200 feet from my seat, and in front of Lucia is the herb garden from which the chives were freshly picked.

Next is an appetizer that celebrates the transition from summer to fall, a bright heirloom tomato carpaccio with splashes of mozzarella cream and sweet bursts of local strawberry, topped with a heap of petite greens and finished with aged balsamic and brioche crumble lending a welcome crunch. The braised beef short rib is a taste of the approaching winter—a comforting dish with its rich flavor and meltin-your-mouth texture, hard won by its lengthy cooking process. It sits atop a bed of silky aligot—potatoes combined with Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.’s sweet and nutty Toma—amid swirls of au jus. Sweet and sour onions, roasted asparagus, and a garden herb gremolata finish the divinely indulgent dish.

The entrees further pull from the region’s producers and the garden’s riches: a Monterey-fished king salmon served with summer corn succotash, cherry tomatoes, golden potatoes, patty pan squash, and a scallion and red pepper emulsion and a local beet ravioli with artichokes, wild mushrooms, asparagus, squash, and tomato fondue. The double-cut lamb chop is served with a crispy goat cheese polenta cake and guajillo chile jus—a nod to Chef Ojeda’s childhood.

He speaks of these Southwestern influences from the handground polenta we witnessed in New Mexico to the oft-used guajillo chile prized for its smoky-yet-sweet quality. He enjoys testing out various ingredients, depending on what’s in season, and curating a menu that showcases the flavors of Carmel Valley at each ingredient’s peak. “That’s very important to me as a chef,” he says.

Just the day before, he paired up with Dick Swank of Hollister’s Swank Farms for an organic heirloom tomato lunch-and-learn held at Lucia. Among the offerings were a tomato and lavender lavash, a green chili and wild mushroom macaroni and cheese, and even a house-made tomato and basil sorbet. “Hearing his passion behind the tomatoes and his farm—that’s what excites me,” he says.

Lucia’s dessert menu also changes with the seasons, and we’re fortunate to experience the burnt Basque cheesecake as our finale— which I’ve never quite had with this treatment—served alongside a surprisingly potent piña colada foam, vanilla pineapple compote, and toasted coconut.

“Coming here, I wanted to get back into what I joined this industry for, and that’s to get a little more personal with our guests,” says Ojeda. He leads a tour of the herb and vegetable gardens, vineyards, and orchards on Saturdays, alongside renowned horticulturist Mark Marino who tends the property’s gardens.

Guests are invited to explore the gardens with a glass of Bernardus Winery’s award-winning Chardonnay in hand. From squash to white lavender, and even Persian mulberry, there’s a bounty of surprising ingredients that inspire Lucia’s flavorful dishes, so unique to this region and time of year. “I’m still of the old school manner [where I] like to know the farmers, know where things are coming from, and how they’re processed,” he says. “That’s what brought me here. It’s a little bit more hands-on, more hyperlocal— where the farmers come right to your back door.” Lamb with a goat cheese polenta cake and guajillo chile jus

The cozy patio at Lucia