Show of hands for those who still miss Elbert’s Collective at Salcedo Village, and how it was like heading home to a kitchen that served your all-time favorites within one establishment’s menu. Elbert Cuenca has been such a presence in our culinary scene for decades now, it was sad to watch the Collective close its doors, as it served as a collage of the various food offerings he had gained his reputation on. So it was welcome news to hear that Elbert is back with Harry’s Bistro on Bolanos St., Legazpi Village. And before you ask, Harry is their pet dog.

Elbert greets me at the bar, and while I’m waiting for my sons, he talks about the Bistro. As he explains how it’s comfortable dining, about dishes one has grown up with, and how it’ll mean different things to different people, I look at the cool interiors and at the bar that dominates the left side of the Bistro. And it strikes me that, on one level, this is the Collective now enhanced to a more refined dining experience, and I love that. I peruse the food menu, note the beef items, and inwardly think that it’s also Elbert’s Steak Room made more accessible and part of an expanded menu. It’s simply the best of several worlds that have formed the “Elbert experience,” now co-mingling, and that’s a good thing.

It’s nostalgia. It’s comfort food elevated. It’s a menu now supplemented by a number of small plates served tapas- and pintxo-style. It’s a bar with great options and mixed drinks, and there’s a nice private room at the far right of the establishment. And I appreciate this diversity and how Elbert’s explanation really does cover the different angles of what Harry’s Bistro can represent.

With my boys, we opted to go with several of the small plates, ordered two of the main plates, and we couldn’t resist the side of Guanciale Fried Rice.

The Croquetas of the Day is one great feature at Harry’s. It can be salmon one day, steak the next, and it was lamb on the night we descended on Harry’s. Easily, my boys declared them one of the best croquetas in the city.

The Grilled Pulpo Skewers were seared octopus slices, served with potato pavé and allioli sauce. Tender octopus and expert pavé made for a great combo on these skewers.

The Steak Tartare Pinxto was a little play on the traditional French dish, so that it was on toast, with a play on textures. On this one, I could have gone for a stronger flavor in the Steak Tartare, but that’s a personal observation.

The Pork Ears plate was seared pork ears, with Romesco and chimichurri. The boys were not ready for the texture of the ears, as it looks like a slice of cochinillo but is soft and chewy. Just be ready for that, as the sauce and flavor profile make this so worthwhile.

The Beef Carpaccio is served with Grana Padano and capers on a relatively small plate, so don’t expect carpaccio as it’s traditionally served for sharing in other places. At Harry’s, they go the extra mile with the capers and sprouts, which I liked.

If you’re talking nostalgia in comfort food, that would be best represented by the Chicken Kiev, served stuffed with herbed butter and mashed potatoes. Honestly, when was the last time you saw this dish on a resto menu? It’s served at home or in private clubs, so it was a welcome sight, and I highly recommend this version.

Their Steak Frites is double gold tenderloin slices, with café de Paris butter and Elbert’s famous fries. It’s a 160-gram serving of meat, so it’s easily shared by two if you’re into trying several dishes and not sticking to one main course.

The Chocolate Mousse is dark chocolate, cream, and with a surprise crust at the bottom. Easily, it’s now one of my top three versions of chocolate mousse that I’ve tried over the last few years. My middle boy lives in a condo two streets away from Bolanos and exclaimed that he’d regularly sneak in to order this to take home and indulge while watching shows on TV. It’s that good.

Harry’s Bistro is a full à la carte menu. It’s bucking the waning trend of going degustation and would rather stick to tried favorites the kitchen knows they do well. There’s nothing earth-shattering being pushed or promoted, but a dependable, friendly and comfortable experience. And it’s Elbert in a space he’d like us to call “home.”