The team behind Suerte, the nationally acclaimed restaurant located in East Austin, announces their latest concept Este will open October, 3. Led by owner Sam Hellman-Mass and 2021 FOOD & WINE’s Best New Chef Fermín Núñez, Este will celebrate coastal Mexican cuisine, charcoal cooking, and fresh seafood sourced from close relationships with premier fishmongers, and is located at the site of the former Eastside Cafe on Manor Rd.
Este will feature 80 seats in the main dining room and will include eight seats at the bar and six seats at the chef counter, as well as outdoor seating on the wrap around patio built by General Contractor A.R. Lucas Construction. The restaurant’s team worked with architects Matt Garcia Design and Delineate Studio, who also collaborated on Suerte, to design the space.
In addition to updating and rebuilding the original building, which was built in the 1920’s, the team has also brought the longstanding garden back to vibrant life. It features local vegetables grown with rotational farming, birdhouses for the migratory purple martins, and beehives onsite so bees can pollinate the crops. Over the past couple years while developing Este, Fermín and Sam traveled to several cities along the coast of Mexico including Ensenada, Valle de Guadalupe, Tijuana, Puerto Escondido, Tampico, and Merida and were inspired by the incredible culture, seafood, and people.
“Suerte is all about our masa and the story we tell with it,” said Executive Chef, Fermín Núñez. Este will focus on the canvas of heirloom corn masa and cooking seafood with a Mexican point of view. When I think of mariscos, I think of the many delicious raw dishes as well as the timeless tradition of grilling beautiful fish and shellfish on the beach over a hot charcoal fire. I am not only looking forward to cooking this way at Este but also having that be a place where I get to eat on my days off.”
The menu features oysters, ceviches, aguachiles, a very fun seafood platter, fried fish tacos made with pressed-to-order tortillas, and charcoal grilled shrimp and whole fish. Look for the cast iron seared T-Bone steak, seasonal vegetables and other dishes for those hungry for something more inland. Suerte pastry chef Derrick Flynn will also create for Este and will work alongside Fermín crafting desserts for both restaurants.
Este’s bright dining spaces, natural materials, artisan decor and spacious outdoor deck bring the ambiance of an amazing seaside meal to East Austin. Representing the waves and sand dunes of the Mexican coastline, the tile in the building was created in collaboration with architect Matt Garcia and José Noé Suro, the mastermind behind Mexico’s leading ceramic studio, Cerámica Suro. Noé Suro has been recognized for beautiful projects with notable artists and architects all over the world. He has worked closely with the team to create one-of-a-kind tiles and ceramics to tell the story of Este through the team’s travels around Mexico.
The beverage program is inspired by flavors and regions that complement Mexican seafood and charcoal cooking. Curated by General Manager Celia Pellegrini, Este’s wine list will be influenced by coastal regions throughout the world as well as Champagne and other seafood friendly wines. The beverage program will also feature vibrant coastal-inspired cocktails and signature margaritas created by bar manager, Patrick Wasetis.
Located at 2113 Manor Road, Este will be open for dinner Sunday – Thursday 5 PM – 10 PM and Friday and Saturday 5 PM to 11 PM. Reservations are available at esteatx.com. For more information, visit esteatx.com or follow along on Instagram @esteatx.