Exclusive: First look at highly anticipated Este eatery in East Austin

In 1988, a new Austin restaurant struck a chord with the city's developing food community.

Eastside Café — with its homey retro feel and comfortingly fresh dishes — thrived for more than 30 years under the leadership of food scene veteran Elaine Martin. She announced her retirement in 2019.

Now another highly anticipated eatery, Este, a Mexican coastal spot with an emphasis on charcoal cooking, has come along to transform Eastside's 1920s bungalow, planted on an acre of green land in East Austin at Manor Road and Coleto Street.

This effort, too, comes with distinguished resumés.

Four years ago, Este owner Sam Hellman-Mass and executive chef Fermín Núñez teamed up to present Suerte, a masa-forward restaurant on East Sixth Street that won rave reviews and national awards. It was picked as one of the country's best new restaurants by Bon Appétit and Food & Wine magazines, as well as the James Beard Foundation. Food & Wine also named Núñez among the best new chefs in the nation.

Between them, the duo had already played substantial roles at Barley Swine, Odd Duck, La Condesa and Launderette, among other glorified Austin culinary spots.

Hard to top that reputation. Este will open officially Oct. 3. We got a sneak peek.

What happened to the Arts and Crafts bungalow?

From the street, you could swear that not much has changed. The essential footprint is there, too, along with the pleasing rhythm of its windows. The renovated façade betrays only a few changes, such as a neon sign and the hint of refined materials.

Enter through the heavy doors, however, and the visitor is transported into a completely different space.

The first thing one notices is the wide dining room. Very wide. And open. Exposed rafters dance with sunlight.

Eastside, which included various additions, seemed at times like a labyrinth. The rooms were small and cozy, perfect for hot soup on a cold day.

Este opens its arms from the moment one enters. Empty, it feels cool and relaxed. That floating feeling will change when it fills up with merry locals and tourists. Yet the initial impression is bound to last, as well.

What's the vibe of the new room?

Light, airy, tall. Subtle blues and grays keep the color palette slightly blurred, like diffuse light on a misty ocean.

Matt Garcia Design and Delineate Studio, which collaborated on Suerte, created this welcoming space.

In various places, wave-like tiles by José Noé Suro, the mastermind behind Mexican ceramic studio Cerámica Suro, sneak up on the visitor, never overdone. The design team selected local and Mexican artisans for all the ingenious visual touches.

Key among these elements are almost undetectable fabric panels attached to walls. When Suerte opened, it was dinged for being too noisy, so Hellman-Mass added tall fabric panels that look like works of abstract art. Here, he thought ahead, and the sound dampers blend into the woodwork.

What is the kitchen like?

It's open, as well, and located at the back of the room, with a view of every table.

"An open kitchen connects both ways," Núñez says. "People see in. We see out. It's a whole dance. You see behind the scenes. I tell people it's almost like doing theater."

While Este can fill 80 seats in the main dining room, it includes eight seats at the bar and six seats at the chef's counter. So if you are really interested in how your meal is cooked, ask in advance for counter space.

Fifty more seats will be arranged on a wide, wrap-around porch that is shaded by an old pecan tree.

What kind of food can I expect?

The menu features oysters, ceviches, aguachiles, a seafood platter, fried fish tacos made with pressed-to-order tortillas, and charcoal grilled shrimp and whole fish. Not everything comes from the sea: Other options include a cast-iron seared T-bone steak, seasonal vegetables and other dishes with inland origins.

"We want to serve great seafood from a Mexican point of view," says Núñez, who grew up in Torreón, Coahuila. "We are buying seafood from sources on the Gulf, as well as on the East and West coasts. We also work with local fishmongers for harder to find products."

"Always of the moment," Hellman-Mass says, "fresh and right."

Overseen by general manager Celia Pellegrini, Este's wine list is influenced by coastal regions around the world, as well as bubbly and other seafood-friendly wines. The beverage menu features coastal-inspired cocktails and signature margaritas created by bar manager Patrick Wasetis.

Talk more about 'seafood from a Mexican point of view.'

Over the past couple years while developing their new concept, Hellman-Mass and Núñez traveled to several cities along the coast of Mexico, including Ensenada, Valle de Guadalupe, Tijuana, Puerto Escondido Tampico and Merida.

"Coastal cooking techniques inspired me," Núñez says. "Not just from Mexico but from Spain and elsewhere. The best food is cooked close to the water over charcoal. A lot of spice. Lime. Shrimp. Cheese. Fish."

"There's a tremendous amount of diversity in coastal cooking," Hellman-Mass says. "We found a lot on the street — and in more formal situations — in Guadalajara, but also the coast of Oaxaca and on the Gulf at Veracruz. My wife is from Tampico, and that helped inspire us. Then there were the Caribbean and tropical flavors from Merida and the Yucatan."

"Remember that Veracruz was the port of entry from Europe, so they brought Spanish ingredients like capers and olives," Núñez says. "In Mexico, seafood is like a treat. We're going along with that sense of special celebration.”

What happened to the big garden behind Eastside Café?

It's still there, looking better than ever. It will serve Este and Suerte.

Veggies, flowers and herbs cascade from row after row. Some are clearly producing squash, eggplant, okra and basil, along with some Mexican herbs that are new to me.

The half-acre was left pretty much untended during the early part of the pandemic, but now is producing bumper crops.

"We brought all these tomatoes back to Suerte this summer," says Núñez, who speaks with a whimsical fervor. "We said to the chefs: 'Here are tomatoes! You might need them.'"

Núñez says that Este's offerings will be driven in part by local ingredients such as squashes and chilis.

"We'll be experimenting as farmers and guests," he says. "We had these huge sunflowers which we made into vegetarian ceviche."

"We've put a ton of love and energy into the dirt," says Hellman-Mass, whose quiet, focused intensity is catching. "And we've been donating produce to the neighborhood."

What kind of crowd will Este likely attract?

Hard to say. While Suerte appeals across Austin's social lines, the crowd tends to be youngish, dressed in full feather.

"East Sixth Street is more about 'party,'" Hellman-Mass says. "This will more like 'neighborhood.' We're casting a wide net. We just want to make it Austin, and who doesn't like Austin?"

Fans of Suerte, teased by the seafood dishes at the East Sixth eatery, will be among those to secure the first reservations. Food lovers of all stripes will not be far behind, attracted by Suerte's legacy.

Another possible market: Those who maintain strong emotional ties to Eastside Café. They will be pleased by the gardens and the overall look of the place. Some will be startled by the open plan of the main dining room and the almost 100 seated guests once they get inside.

Take my advice: Reserve a seat for an off hour. I predict it will not be a place for an everyday casual stop. You must be intentional up to a certain point.

The word on the street is that enthusiastic.

"People are rooting for it," Hellman-Mass says. "They want it to succeed."

What projects wait for later chapters?

Strolling through the garden, sampling the greenery, Hellman-Mass talked about how much this half acre means to him and to his neighbors. He twice hinted at a project that might grow out of the garden's strong natural pull. "We're open to ideas," Hellman-Mass says.

As for the modern structure that sits between the two small parking lots, I see tables and chairs through its glass walls, but Hellman-Mass says his team will wait to decide what to do with it. It would work well as a private dining room.

How might Este change the Manor Road restaurant culture?

Este is not the first innovative eatery to settle into the blocks of Manor Road between East Dean Keeton Street and Airport Boulevard. For its time, Eastside was ahead of the farm-to-table craze, while Hoover's Cooking, El Chile and El Chilito filled in essential gaps in Austin's food ecology.

Dai Due, which started as a daring supper club and opened with a butcher shop, raised the culinary stakes in 2006. Salty Sow, from the Hopdoddy partners, focused on the pig in 2012. Haymaker, a popular pub with poutine, sandwiches and beer, followed in 2015.

Old and new spots — such as Mi Madre's, Love Supreme and Bird Bird Biscuit— appear to thrive along this stretch of Manor.

While Manor has changed like the rest of East Austin, the Vortex alternative theater group and its Butterfly Bar remain big draws. The University of Texas continues to intensify its presence just east of Interstate 35. More is happening past Airport Boulevard, too, especially alongside the Mueller development.

The fact that Este's owners and designers kept the silhouette of the original bungalow and dependent structures ensures that, while the magnitude of energy will surely rise on that green acre, it likely won't overwhelm the street.

How do Eastside Café and Este reflect Austin's evolving culture?

Eastside felt to me like one of the last remnants of back-to-the-land hippie Austin. The culture that respected and rebuilt, often by the owner's hand, unloved vintage buildings and surrounded them with crowded, bountiful gardens.

Este belongs to 21st century Austin, at least the part that includes an updated reverence for the land and sea, and their culinary yield. Its celebrated leaders have been at the forefront of Austin's recent culinary advances, which defines a good part of the city's changing culture.

I say this before the first public dish is served, but Este draws from the authentic past while looking to a creative future.

I'm sold. Where do I park?

You are in luck. The new owners made it easy. Two valet stands will await your arrival at the small parking lots on Coleto Street. Or if you want to hunt for a curbside spot on a nearby street, that's OK, too. Please be respectful of the neighbors. Obey parking signs and do not block driveways.

How does the former owner of Eastside feel about all this?

“Sam has the I-want-to-feed-people gene, which is essential if you’re going to be in the business," Elaine Martin told the American-Statesman about Hellman-Mass when she retired in 2019. "He’s got it for real. And he’s humble. Imagine what he’s done.”

"Elaine was such a pioneer of the garden-to-table movement," Hellman-Mass says. "We wanted to respect that past 30 years, and turn the page for the next 30 years."

If you go to Este

Where: 2113 Manor Road

When: Este will be open for dinner 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Check back in the future for updates on lunch service, afternoon happy hour and private dining.

Info: esteatx.com

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Este opens in former Eastside Cafe space, and here's what to expect