Bernal has long been a kind of small-town enclave, very much a locals-only area of the city, a calm little oasis next to its busier cousin, the Mission. When I lived there (circa 2004), there was certainly no fine dining, Michelin Guide-reviewed restaurants on Cortland Avenue.
3rd Cousin’s Chef/Owner Greg Lutes opened the unassuming yet stylish restaurant in 2015, which astounded me, as I’d just started hearing about it in the last year. A well-kept neighborhood secret! The food is hyper-local, seasonal, California-skewing-toward-French/Italian/Asian, and rustically elegant, mirroring the warmly lit space.
Three of us had the five-course tasting menu. We started out with the fritto misto of oyster and anchovy with fennel slaw and Vietnamese tartar sauce.
My first impression was that the oysters and anchovies were nicely fried, crispy and delicate. The sweetness of the slaw and piquant tartar sauce kicked in, making this a really lovely, and subtle, first bite.
Second, di Napoli squash soup with crispy prosciutto bits, croutons and Jimmy Nardello peppers.
I found this a rather standard, yet flavorful squash soup, quite welcome on a cold and rainy night, and very much elevated by the crispy prosciutto.
Our third courses were all pastas.
Porcini truffle ravioli Francese Reggiano:
One of my favorite plates of the night, with so much rich, buttery, umami-ness imbued in the pasta, the truffle giving a low, earthy undertone. If 3rd Cousin offers this on the regular menu, make sure to try it.
We opted for the risotto with Alba white truffle, a supplement.
The risotto was cooked beautifully, and while the Alba truffle’s aroma was just lovely, sadly, it did not add to the flavor of the dish, unlike the truffle in the ravioli. I know that most chefs hate truffle oil, but I wished there’d been a drop or two blended into the risotto. For the money, I’d really like to taste the truffle as well as smell it.
Next, our third pasta dish of the course, a sedani rigati with local crab, Thai basil, a lively lemon panna, and green curry.
A light dish, the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. In an effort not to overpower the crab, for me some of the Thai/curry flavors weren’t fully expressed, but the overall lemony freshness of the dish prevailed. Another dish I’d get again.
Our fourth course included a striped bass with wild rice, delicata squash, and lobster and matsutake mushrooms.
This beautifully fleshed fish was excellently prepared, firm and tender under its shatteringly crispy skin, and the wild rice made a good pairing, although those mushrooms just about stole the show. In total, a winner of a dish.
Second, a charcoal-broiled Snake River Farms wagyu flatiron steak:
With a cute little corn hush puppy, chanterelle jus, pearl onions and lemon Romano beans. The steak was deeply beefy, as I’ve found all of SRF’s American wagyu cuts to be. The cut was tender, juicy, and had a good, seared crust surrounding the fuschia center. The chanterelle jus worked well with this, adding deepness. I’m a sucker for a good steak; this one wowed.
The third course, for my non-meat eating friend, was tamari-marinated and grilled tofu with Brussels sprouts, white beans, tamarind, and broccolini.
Sadly, I found the tofu uninspired. In this era when so many restaurants offer a vegetarian or a vegan option, there are a myriad of ways to make tofu flavorful and interesting. As a big fan of well-prepared tofu dishes, this felt very much like an afterthought for vegetarians.
Desserts, our final course:
Counter-clockwise from 3 o’clock: Hochija and coconut panna cotta with a Bosc pear and huckleberries, and a pine-nut granola. The contrast between the silkiness of the elegant panna cotta and the nutty crunch of the granola made this an extra special dessert.
Served in a jar was a dark chocolate pot de crème with raspberries, candied walnuts, and a toasted marshmallow. The whole thing was delicious, but I especially loved the marshmallow, which was, surprisingly, not overly sweet. The market fruit sorbet duo was a refreshing, light ending to the evening.
I’m eager to go back and try Chef Lutes’ enticing a la carte menu. Also on offer are a “regular” chef’s tasting menu, as well as a vegan and vegetarian one, with wine pairings in all price ranges available.
3rd Cousin can be quite a splurge (and yes, I’m dying to try the uni crème brûlée), but there is such a sense of community and warmth in this Bernal haven Chef Lute has created, with gorgeously prepared food and without the pretension that too often accompanies the price tag.
Our little Bernal is all grown up, and there’s room for everyone.
3rd Cousin
919 Cortland Avenue