Today's catch
South Austin reels in new Mexican-inspired seafood restaurant and raw bar
As Austin’s population spreads to the outer reaches of the city limits, so does our restaurant scene. That goes double for South Austin's Oak Hill, which keeps proving that good eating doesn’t have to mean a drive downtown.
The latest restaurant to enter the fray, Shore Raw Bar & Grill, is projected to open this fall in the Covered Bridge development at 8665 Highway 71 West. Owner and operator Shawn McClain, the former owner of Bee Cave favorite Tadashi, tells CultureMap that the concept will be seafood with a Mexico City twist.
Brandon Silver, an alumnus of Hudson’s on the Bend, Qui, and Noma in Copenhagen will helm the kitchen, which McClain promises will deliver “amazing flavor you won’t find anywhere else in Austin.” Well-known local chef David Garrido, formerly of Dine at the Radisson and Garrido’s, is also helping on the project.
The menu is still under development but will include two types of ceviche (one Peruvian-inspired and one with Mexican flavors like cumin); tuna and watermelon nigiri with grilled jalapeño paste; braised Angus short rib tacos in mole negro; and a wood-grilled hanger steak with Worcester-glazed mushrooms and shoestring fries.
The cocktails will have a Spanish influence, and there will also be beer and wine. Shore will also serve refreshing aguas frescas like cucumber melon, pineapple basil, and watermelon mint.
For the design, McClain and partners Rick Wahlberg and Jim Schneider are going for a poppy, brightly colored space. Todd White, a Texas-born painter and illustrator whose work has appeared on everything from SpongeBob SquarePants to limited edition Coca-Cola cans, will provide the art.
Although the owners originally intended for Shore to be open in February, inevitable construction delays forced them to move it back. Now, Shore is shooting for an October 28 opening date.
