Reservations are open for the new downtown restaurant Harvester Kitchen by Bryan, which opens May 12.

How have guests been booking so far?

“I’m not going to lie. I have not even looked,” said owner Bryan Moscatello, as he alternated between rolling out a pastry crust, plating a beet salad and making preparations for an invite-only soft open over the weekend.

“I’ll deal with next week next week.”

“Next week” is now this week.

Moscatello, who most recently served as executive chef at The Oval Room in Washington, D.C., before it closed during the pandemic, moved to Sioux Falls late last year and has been planning his new restaurant ever since.

It’s located in the Harvester building off East Sixth street just east of Phillips Avenue.

The pricing aims to be accessible, he said, calling a $16 scallop dish “the deal of a lifetime.”

The scallops are sourced from Santa Barbara, Calif, and are “so dry and sweet they’re amazing,” he said.

Entrées are ranging from $22 to $39 and include a potato side.

The menu includes snacks, starters, a cheese course, entrees and classic French potato dishes as sides.

“We want to get guests in and have them take their time, have a drink and snack before we give the dinner menu, so people have an opportunity just to relax and get acclimated,” Moscatello said.

Reservations will be available from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday to start.

But enough of that.

Ready for a look at the food?

From the starter menu, here are the spice roasted beets, with Roquefort, arugula and beet gel.

The bouillabaisse steamed mussels are done with pepperoni, fennel and roasted pepper.

And this is the scallop dish Moscatello mentioned. They’re sherry-glazed scallops with a white asparagus sauce, chives and porcini mushrooms.

From the main dish menu, here’s a look at the roasted lamb New York, served with carrots, a hint of coffee, browned butter and pearl onion.

The browned butter seared Petrale Sole is served with buttermilk, clams and Nasturtium flowers.

Each main dish includes a classic French potato dish as a side.

There are several options, including the Pommes Anna, layered potatoes cooked with clarified butter, and the Pomme Boulingere, sliced potatoes and onions baked together.

And, of course, we needed a peek at the dessert menu.

This is the lemon tart, with crème fraiche, candied pistachios and honey.

And the strawberries and cream dish is served with vanilla sponge bread, meringue and jellies.

The full menu is still being finalized, but you can see most of it here.

Moscatello also plans to offer to-go lunch options in the coming weeks and will start patio service.

Downtown restaurant Harvester Kitchen by Bryan nears opening