By Karen Talbot

Oct. 19, 2016:  Ernie's Wine Bar + EATS, which opened originally in the spring of 2013, is now under new management. Luisanna Scalera, the new owner and chef, along with Tommie Roldan, creates delicious and creative dishes in the quaint restaurant located right near the Bronxville train station underneath the old Gramatan Hotel site.

Wine bars have become more popular than ever. They are an excellent place to learn about wine in an unpretentious and accessible way. This is a great concept for our town--pairing good wines with good food with either appetizer or main entrees in an attractive and informal restaurant setting.

We suggest you tell Greg Henzer, the manager, what kind of wine that you would like to try. He will then bring two or three choices to your table for you to try by the glass.

My husband and I, accompanied by a good friend, started with Bleecker Chardonnay from California, Pinot Noir Domaine Martinolles from France, and a white Grüner from Austria before switching to a red, and Jumilla Monastrell Murcia from Spain for our main course. 

We chose three appetizers from a list of ten, and we believe that we chose well: sausage rolls--English bangers wrapped in puff pastry; potstickers with Asian dipping sauce; and smoked salmon with crushed avocado and horseradish cream.

They were all wonderful, and we agreed that the smoked salmon was one of the best that we had ever tasted. Our equally good entrée choices were:  Duck confit with Ernie’s French beans, bursting with flavor-filled spices; veal Bolognese with homemade fettuccine and a special that night, meatballs served with cinnamon and golden raisin couscous.

Appetizers are priced from $6 to $15 and main entrees range from $16 to $23. Luisanna has added several homemade pasta and seafood dishes since she took over last March. The night we were there, the pasta special was Cannelloni pasta filled with pork in a pink sauce. 

There are a couple of specials every night, and the menu changes seasonally. Ernie’s also offers vegan dishes, vegan desserts, and gluten-free options. For dessert, I suggest the house specialty, which is a decadent chocolate torte made with ginger, lavender, jam, and dark and milk chocolate.

The restaurant buys mostly small organic productions of wine, which change frequently. Wine by the glass ranges from $8 to $17, and bottles of wine range from $36.00 to $68.00. The more expensive reserve wines are priced $70 to $200 a bottle.

Ernie's Wine Bar + EATS is open Mondays through Fridays from 4:30 to midnight and Saturdays from 5:00 to midnight. There is live music every other Monday. The restaurant is quite atmospheric, with low lighting and twinkling votive candles on the tables. Dark walls, dark wood tables and chairs, and a dark wood floor make for a cozy and intimate dining experience. There is also a dark wooden bar with a backdrop of bookshelves filled with wine bottles and glasses. You can even dine at tables in front of the restaurant outside. You can also book a table for eight in the private cellar room right on the main floor. 

I look forward to going back and trying more tasty wine and food.

Pictured here:  Interior of Ernie's Wine Bar + EATS.

Photo by Karen Talbot