Osteria Ester
Osteria Ester (pronounced oh-steh-REE-ah) is the sixth concept from the Good Salt Group (Osprey, Reyes, The Monroe, Sparrow, Seito) to open, located in the former Soco space in Thornton Park. The transformation is beautiful and detailed, just like all of Sue Chin’s other restaurants. She designs, hand-paints, and hand-picks every detail, forming a warm tapestry that hugs diners.
The Chef at the helm is Michael Cooper, formerly of Osprey within the Good Salt Group. “Osteria Ester is my love letter to that feeling — the food, the family, the energy. It’s about simple dishes made with care and shared with the people you love.” Named after Cooper’s grandmother, Ester, the restaurant embodies her legacy of hospitality and connection. These aren’t her recipes, as she was not much of a cook, as Cooper has said in interviews, “but she loved bringing people together —and that’s the heart of this place.”
The Space + Vibe
There are different areas of the restaurant. A large bar and lounge area that has bar seating and a few lounge tables. The main dining room has tables and booths, and one elevated area that has patrons against a window that looks right into the kitchen, where they can watch fresh pasta being made, surely to be a coveted seat. Then, set back, there is a semi-private area where we sat, away from the hustle, quiet and cozy. Lighting is dim, but table lamps light the way (and provide just enough light for a quick picture) and offer dimmer settings for your preference.
From where we sat, the music was faint, my friend and I had no issues carrying on our conversations, and everything was very comfortable and relaxed. On our way out, we peered into the busy bar area, and it was much louder with patrons chatting and enjoying the night, but that sound didn’t carry over to us on the other side of the restaurant.
Cocktails
I’ve seen people mention the Cacio Pepe cocktail, so I asked the server about its flavor profile. He said if you are someone who typically likes a dirty martini, you most likely would enjoy this drink. That led me in a different direction, so I opted for the Caffe Shakerato ($15). Much more my speed, and it was a lovely, light, well-balanced drink. I could easily have had another.
What We Tried:
Foccia - Garlic confit, rosemary, sea salt $12
Meatballs - $13
Spaghetti Alle Vongole - Clams, white wine, parsley, pangrattato $25
Alla Parmigiana with Chicken - $24 + $6 pasta add-on
Our waiter told us that the most popular bread so far has been the Focaccia, and I can see why. It has a nice crusty exterior, but is soft and delicate inside. Just grab it with your hands and rip it apart (easier than cutting and distributing). The garlic wasn’t overpowering; it was heavier on the rosemary flavor, which I really enjoyed. Even while feeling full and claiming I was done, I kept going back to the Focaccia and grabbing a few more bites. All breads are baked in-house daily.
The meatballs were a surprising disappointment: as soon as I went to cut into them, my knife met resistance. The consistency led my fully Italian tablemate and me to agree that they were likely overworked. Instead of melt-in-your-mouth meatballs, they were quite dry and dense. We did give feedback to relay to the kitchen, as Osteria is still in a soft opening phase, and this is an easily fixable issue. They were kind enough to take it off the bill, which we were not expecting, but they were very gracious about it.
Spaghetti Alle Vongole is what my tablemate ordered, and while I had a bite, it’s not a dish I’m well-versed in or would order. She's more of an expert in that department, and she really liked it. My bite was fine, but since it’s not something I would usually eat, I can only tell you it was well done, in her opinion.
What I have had, maybe hundreds of times in my life (no exaggeration), is Alla Parmigiana with Chicken. It’s one of my favorite dishes to make at home and get when dining out at Italian spots.
The breading was well-coated, nicely crisp, and had good flavor. There was ample cheese and sauce without overdoing it. The serving size was two good-sized cutlets. However, I was surprised that the dish is not served with spaghetti; that is something you need to add, which our server let me know when I ordered it. I did want spaghetti to go with it for the whole experience, so that was an add-on for $6, bringing the total for the entree to $30. The addition of the spaghetti proved unnecessary, and I would leave it off in the future for that price point. (I did compare the price of this entree with other more upscale Italian eateries, and it does fall in line with other competitors, even with the upcharge.)
Would I Go Back?
As a Chicken Parmigiana lover, I enjoyed it enough to go back just for that, without the spaghetti; perhaps a Caesar Salad in its place, like a heavier, heartier version of a girl’s dinner. The portion sizes of our entrees were good, and both my tablemate and I had leftovers. However, I do think I will give them some time before I revisit to allow them to get into the swing of things. I am excited to see what they do with a brunch menu in the future! The outdoor patio is charming, and a great brunch experience would be a hit here, especially when the weather is nice.
Also, our server, Gabriel, was wonderfully attentive, checking on us often, and had a great, warm, and hospitable personality. We spoke at the beginning of our meal about how we all shared different levels of lactose intolerance, and he jokingly mentioned he had Lactaid on him if I needed it, which was hilarious and so sweet. We loved having him be a part of our meal.
Things to know about dining at Osteria Ester:
Parking: You can park at the Thornton Park garage, but it will cost about $8, depending on how long you park. If you want to find free street parking, try within Thornton Park and walking.
Pricing: Entrees run from the $20s to the $40s, with the most expensive at $82. Some are sizable enough to share, like the Lasagna Rotolo or the Bistecca Alla Fiorentina.
Vegan/Vegetarian Options: There are a few vegetarian options, but Vegan options will be more difficult with several dairy components in dishes. There is a gluten-free menu; ask for it when you are dining there.
Is anything sourced locally? - Right now, the clams are sourced within Florida, and Chef Cooper likes to use Sugar Top Farms out of Clermont and Frog Song Organics out of Hawthorne.
Can they host large parties? Yes, like most Good Salt restaurants, there is a semi-private area for larger parties.
Do I need a reservation? Reservations are always recommended, but they do take walk-ins.
This meal was not hosted.