"Ernesto’s, a Basque-leaning restaurant on the Lower East Side, offers a variety of dishes from pintxo matrimonio al ajillo to tortilla abierta con Cinco Jotas, and from ensalada mixta to Bikini Hemingway sandwiches. The chef-partner Ryan Bartlow, with his experience in San Sebastian, Alinea, Frankies Spuntino, and Frenchette, brings a romantic touch to dishes like macarrones con hongos and braised vegetables, all in a dining room described as an oasis with a globe-lit bar and civilized cocktails." - Hannah Goldfield