Do call it a comeback: Bradenton’s EnRich Bistro is back in business after closing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Owner and chef Rich Knowles opened the original restaurant in 2015 to great fanfare. Knowles is a Bradenton native who honed his culinary chops in Big Sky, Montana, before returning to his community to share the best of what he learned while he was away. But while his first restaurant was popular and celebrated, he was not impervious to the general restaurant slump that was a byproduct of the pandemic. 

Now he’s back—and maybe better than ever. The new EnRich Bistro is located inside a shopping plaza on Manatee Avenue, where Knowles had the space fully gutted and trimmed out in light wood tones with pale blue walls. The walk up to the front door is lined with tropical plants that deliver a dose of warm hospitality and separate the space from the stark asphalt parking lot.

Knowles is something of a Bradenton celebrity, and it shows when you walk through the door. The restaurant is packed, and everyone is looking around to catch Knowles’ eye as he wanders the dining room greeting tables, shaking hands and meeting guests who all seem to have a connection with him, whether through a friend or family member. (The crowd includes Knowles’ parents, who swear they aren’t there every night, but don’t seem to mean it.)

The restaurant is split into two distinct sections. At a sizable bar on the right side, bartenders whip up cocktails like the “Riverview Boulevardier” ($14) and a Key lime pie martini ($14) as patrons mix and mingle. The “Honest Love Affair” ($14) drink is a particular hit. Made with pea flower-infused gin that tints the drink a periwinkle color, it’s cool, crisp and vegetal, thanks to a dash of lemon juice and basil.

On the left side is the dining room, where the New American-style menu draws on flavors from around the globe and translates them for an American palate. You’ll find hints of Latin America, Italy, France and Japan, but they’re just that: hints, subtle injections of international ingredients. Knowles isn’t trying to recreate any important cultural dishes. Instead, he’s allowing the best parts of those cuisines to weave through his own creations, enhancing the meal without muddying it.

A pan-seared quail ($21), for example, draws flavors from Mexico with a black bean purée and Oaxacan mole. The bird is aggressively brined, almost to the point of being over-seasoned, but the mole tapers the salt, and by the end of the bite, you realize how much intention has gone into the dish as it balances out across your palate. Another appetizer, a special of fried okra spears ($9.50), is a joyful celebration of the American South, paired with a dunkable, albeit spicy, chipotle ranch.

Entrées include six fully conceived dishes (complete with sides) as well as “the butcher’s corner,” a selection of steak cuts like filet ($35), New York strip ($46) and ribeye ($48), served steakhouse style with à la carte sides, sauces and toppings. The Maple Leaf Farms duck duo ($44.50) showcases a medium rare duck breast and tender confit leg atop fermented whole grain mustard and Japanese sweet potatoes, accompanied by braised leeks. The duck should be the star of the show, but its spotlight is stolen by the leeks, whose crisp, seared exterior gives way to a tender, sweet center. The duck is perfect, but those leeks are on a whole other level.

The dessert menu is simple, with an obligatory chocolate cake ($12), a Meyer lemon tartlet ($10) and carrot cake ($12), but don’t be fooled into thinking sweets are an afterthought. For the carrot cake, a spiced cream cheese “icing” is spread across the bottom of the plate and a warm piece of butter rum-soaked cake rests on top. A scoop of goat cheese cheesecake ice cream is tucked to the side, where it infuses into the dish as it slowly melts. It tastes like carrot cake, but it’s the best rendition of the dish I’ve ever had. I’m floored.

If you’re a Sarasota resident, EnRich Bistro is worth a trip to Bradenton. And if you’re a Bradentonian, congratulations on finding your new favorite spot.

ENRICH BISTRO | 5239 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, (941) 289-1299, enrichbistro.com