"When we hear the words “live-fire kitchen,” our eyes immediately light up. That’s because we, too, have watched the Francis Mallmann episode of Chef’s Table and know how much the added elements of fire, smoke, and char can contribute to a dish. Throw in a beautiful multi-story interior, the subterranean agave bar Subterra, and bold Latin flavors, and you get Ember Kitchen in the Seaholm District downtown. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel There’s no big spectacle here—unless you count the giant white tree in the middle of the dining room—but most of the menu touches fire at some point, from octopus with burnt salsa to a half-chicken roasted in a Josper charcoal-oven hybrid. Start with crudo and caviar bites, but save most of your stomach space for anything with “Josper” in the description. Most dishes are served with housemade corn tortillas—use them to build a few tacos, then save the leftover ones to mop up any and all sauces on the plate. Food Rundown photo credit: Richard Casteel Josper 1/2 Chicken Anything and everything cooked in the Josper oven should be your priority, especially the chicken. It’s marinated in an orange and guajillo brine that adds sweetness to each bite, and there’s an excellent char on the outside. The dark meat is juicy and tender, but some of the white meat is a little too dry. photo credit: Richard Casteel Wagyu Steak The meat is cooked perfectly, and the dona salsa adds a nice creamy spiciness to each bite. It’s served with a few warm tortillas so you can make your own steak tacos. photo credit: Richard Casteel Scallops Corn lovers, look no further. Our scallops didn’t have a ton of sear, but otherwise they’re cooked well. And the corn mousse and roasted kernels add a pleasant sweetness to each bite. photo credit: Richard Casteel Ember Greens The citrus dressing is nice and tart, and it comes topped with a ton of berries. This is a good way to add vegetables to an otherwise meat-heavy meal, but it feels more like a brunch salad than a dinner side dish." - Nicolai McCrary
