Ladino in the know

Austin restaurant stars set opening date for anticipated San Antonio concept

Knafeh is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert and just one reason to save room for sweets at Ladino.

Courtesy of Ladino

The Historic Pearl neighborhood in San Antonio continues to grow, celebrating what seems like a new, highly anticipated restaurant opening every week. First, Potluck Hospitality debuted the delightful Carriqui, and now an Austin group is bringing Ladino, set to open on Monday, September 19.

Touted as a Mediterranean grill house celebrating Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisine, Ladino is the brainchild of Austin's Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group. Led by executive chef Berty Richter, the restaurant will pay homage to Richter’s roots with a menu centered around the charcoal grill.

Located in the Pearl at 200 E. Grayson St., #100, the name Ladino was chosen to showcase and share not only Richter's childhood cuisine, but also the influences of the surrounding cultures and cuisines on his style of cooking and eating, sharing food, and the excitement of a bountiful and colorful table of delicious food.

“I grew up in Israel mainly with my mom’s side of the family that came from Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria. We spoke Ladino, a dialect of Spanish mixed with French, Italian, Greek and Turkish,” said Chef Berty Richter. “Large family gatherings and endless feasts were part of our daily lives and I’ve always dreamt of one day creating a concept that will pay homage to my family’s roots and culture. Naming this concept Ladino was the natural choice for me and is the realization of this dream."

Ladino’s menu features fresh made pita and other regional specialties accompanied by an abundance of dishes that are playful and bold, utilizing a wood-burning oven for the lion's share of the restaurant's offerings. Highlights will include coal charred eggplant dip, Jerusalem mix, meat dumplings in yogurt, and a modern take on Agristada, a traditional Sephardic fish in a lemony egg sauce.

While the beverage program highlights regional wines and spirits, dessert selections are inspired by the sweet and savory staples of the region with a modern touch.

The Emmer & Rye team worked with partner Rand Egbert on the restaurant's design, who sought to make the space "transportive" using "beautiful tile accents, handmade light fixtures, traditional patterns, and pops of color," according to a release.

“Sephardic Jews have origins all over the Mediterranean with deep roots in North Africa, so much of the interior is influenced by Morocco and the Moorish culture of Spain during the time the Ladino language first came to be," Egbert adds in the release.

Ladino will mark the seventh concept from Austin-based Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group, and its first in San Antonio. The restaurant will be open Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 5 pm to 10 pm; Friday and Saturday from 5:30 pm to 11 pm; and reservations are open now.

Knafeh is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert and just one reason to save room for sweets at Ladino.

Courtesy of Ladino

Knafeh is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert and just one reason to save room for sweets at Ladino.

chefs openings

Back to the Plow

Homey Austin jam and bake shop closing and returning to farmers market

Confituras/Instagram

Confituras Little Kitchen is closing its brick-and-mortar store, but feeling optimistic about the future.

A famers market find is returning to its natural environment after six years in a brick-and-mortar location. Confituras Little Kitchen, which specializes in locally sourced preserves, is closing its jam and biscuit shop after service on Sunday, December 22. However, it will continue selling goods at the Barton Creek Farmers Market and via retailers.

Confituras announced the change in a newsletter to its customers in December. The letter called the news "bittersweet."

"Although the brick and mortar will no longer be, the good news is that this will be a fresh new start for us – we are bursting with energy and creativity at the thought of being back out in the community where it all started for confituras," it said.

The kitchen is closing because the lease is up, and the team has decided to "give up the chase." The newsletter emphasized the ups-and-downs of business over the past several years — ones that were chaotic for just about any business, let alone a small, fairly niche food operation.

"So much has happened since we decided to open a brick + mortar – a wonderful kickstarter fundraiser, THE PANDEMIC, the AFTER-EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, and an ever growing city," the letter says. "We tried so very hard but never really got our footing. We know we are not alone, many small business are in the same boat. We renewed our lease during the pandemic because we were hopeful we could make it work - the changing times had other ideas."

Finally, it shared how customers could keep enjoying Confituras creations:

The Barton Creek Farmers Market is open at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
A list on confituras.net compiles retailers including Royal Blue Grocery, Farmhouse Delivery, and Antonelli's Cheese Shop.
Jam share and Table22 subscription customers will have more instructions coming soon about picking up their goods in January at the same space, 2129 Goodrich Ave.
Customers may also reach out to inquire about continuing to order meals directly.

The kitchen also hosted frequent events and workshops, but the letter did not address this aspect of the business.

A shorter message shared on Instagram has inspired 63 comments so far, five days later. Customers eulogized the shop for its community feel and providing a sense of regularity during the height of the pandemic thanks to weekend pick-ups.