Ethel's Fancy

"In October 2022 chef Scott Nishiyama opened a fine dining passion project to explore his Japanese American roots. Ethel’s Fancy delivers on that and so much more, serving dishes including toasted coconut fritters with wagyu beef and pickled green peppercorn vinaigrette in a restaurant named after both his mother and maternal grandmother." - Dianne de Guzman, Paolo Bicchieri, Becky Duffett

"The “two to three small plates” mania was bound to trickle down to Palo Alto at some point—and luckily, Ethel’s Fancy is nailing it. That’s thanks to an airy space decked out with a full bar and the menu, which has a good amount of Japanese influence but mostly just looks like a local farmers market exploded on the page. It’s packed with hits like the miso caramel pork belly and the katsu-style swordfish, which gets a kick from a swath of hot mustard. Sitting at the terrazzo bar with a date and one of their “fancy cocktails” is the Friday night move.    " - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez

"The “two to three small plates” mania was bound to trickle down to Palo Alto at some point—and Ethel’s Fancy is nailing it. That’s thanks to their airy space decked out with a full bar and the menu, which has a good amount of Japanese influence but mostly just looks like a local farmers market exploded on the page. It’s packed with hits like the miso caramel pork belly and the katsu-style swordfish, which gets a kick from a swath of hot mustard. Sitting at the terrazzo bar with a date and one of their “fancy cocktails” is the Friday night move. photo credit: Brit Finnegan photo credit: Brit Finnegan photo credit: Brit Finnegan photo credit: Brit Finnegan photo credit: Brit Finnegan" - Julia Chen

"After cooking at some of the most lauded restaurants in the country, including three-Michelin-starred Daniel and the French Laundry, chef Scott Nishiyama says he’s ready to have some fun. And though it’s been about four years in the making, with the September 3 opening of his debut restaurant Ethel’s Fancy in Palo Alto, he’s finally doing exactly that. In some ways, the much-anticipated restaurant — named by Bon Appetit as one of the most exciting new restaurants in the country — falls into the crowded category of serving high-end, seasonal, and ingredient-driven cuisine. But looking deeper into the details, it’s clear that Nishiyama put many aspects of his personal experiences into the project, pulling childhood snacks onto the plate and taking inspiration from his favorite food memories. 'First and foremost I wanted it to be a very personal restaurant,' Nishiyama says. 'I feel like that’s what people gravitate toward.' It starts with the name: Ethel is an homage to both Nishiyama’s mother and maternal grandmother. As a first-generation Japanese American, Nishiyama wanted the space to have subtle Japanese influences, including the blue-and-white fabric encasing the main dining room and the chromatic wallpaper in one of the bathrooms, reminiscent of the Great Wave off Kanagawa woodblock print. In the other bathroom, custom-made manga wallpaper depicts Nishiyama and his mother cooking together. For the menu, Nishiyama wanted to focus on shareable plates, food he says you can pass around and eat with your hands. 'I feel like that kind of dining is more inclusive,' he says. 'That’s what we want to do: have fun.' Eventually, he’d like to add a chef’s tasting option, but for now, it’s a la carte only and diners should expect dishes to come and go frequently as the seasons change and ingredients cycle off the menu." - Lauren Saria

"Scott Nishiyama, who has toiled in the kitchens of the French Laundry and Chez TJ, is plotting a “casual, neighborhood restaurant” in the downtown Palo Alto spot most recently occupied by 39-year-old bakery the Prolific Oven, Palo Alto Online reports." - Eve Batey