ALL SYSTEMS GO

Pullman Market wrangles Texas-inspired steakhouse to San Antonio's Pearl

Isidore is the final concept to open in Pullman Market.

Photo by Chris Praetzel

Seven months ago, Austin’s acclaimed Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group announced its most ambitious project yet – a sprawling grouping of retail space and restaurants called Pullman Market. On August 13, the full vision will come to life.

Isidore, the last of the four full-scale concepts promised for the facility, is lining up its opening date after months of anticipation. In harmony with the local goods featured at the Pearl grocer, the restaurant will focus on seasonal Texas cuisine.

A crew of heavy hitters will be behind the scenes. Longtime San Antonio bar leader Houston Eaves will act as the beverage director while advanced sommelier Ali Schmidt, whose resume includes stints at Austin classics Uchiko and Jeffrey’s, curated the wine program. Danny Parada, a Capital City vet of Elizabeth Street Cafe, will continue his role as a corporate chef for the group.

The hearty menu will take full advantage of the state’s bounty, often using ingredients foraged by chef de cuisine Ian Lanphear. The plates range from raw bar items like oysters and shrimp cocktail to small plates like roasted lion’s mane mushrooms and Mt. Tam ravioli. Entrees range from Wagyu New York strip to herb-smoked grouper.

With [San Antonio’s] rich history, cultural diversity, and booming culinary scene, we aim to bring a modern steakhouse vibe, providing guests with the chance to sample the abundance of quality products produced by Texas ranchers, farmers, and fishermen,” said Parada via a release.

Complementing the cuisine will be a wine program that showcases global varietals and selections from emerging Texas vineyards. The cocktails take a similar approach with contemporary riffs on classic cocktails and an emphasis on whiskey. It all adds up to a truly indulgent experience.

“Restaurants hold a special place in our hearts. Sometimes they are a place to meet our families, sometimes for a quick lunch, and in the case of Isidore, for an extraordinary celebratory experience that is one of a kind,” said Pullman Market partner Kevin Fink.

Following its debut, Isidore will be open from 5-10 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. Reservations are now open online.

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Real Big Burn

Barbecue fest near San Antonio draws pitmasters from around the world

Photo courtesy of Al Frugoni

San Antonio-area pitmaster Al Frugoni used his social media clout to pull together a huge group of barbecuers.

Something very hot is coming to the Lone Star State. San Antonio-area pitmaster Al Frugoni is bringing together more than 90 barbecue-lovers — both pitmasters and content creators — for an "Open Fire Meat Up" on October 26 in Hondo, about 40 miles west of the Alamo City. This is the fourth edition of the large gathering.

As an Argentinian living and working in Texas, Frugoni has not just the worldliness needed to draw international talent, but a unique mix of experience from two of the strongest open-fire cooking cultures there are. (That's thanks to a Texas girl who won his heart and drew him here, according to a release.)

"This is going to be the biggest open fire event in the country. We have pitmasters flying in from all over the world for this," said Frugoni in the release. "No other event has this many pitmasters, cooks and influencers all gathered in one place ... cooking more food than you could possibly eat."

Frugoni is well-known online, with YouTube videos that sometimes garner hundreds of thousands of views. According to the pitmaster, when he launched the event he only meant to invite a few other camera-ready friends, but he found a lot more interest than he expected.

"I initially invited six or seven other barbecue content creators from different parts of the country to come to Texas, but then the word started spreading and we ended up with 25 guys," said Frugoni. "We took the internet by storm! We cooked so much food and had so much fun, we just had to keep it going."

Among this year's internet-famous attendees are "fire cooking enthusiast" and cookbook author Derek Wolf of Over The Fire Cooking; former physical education teacher and Season 2 Next Level Chef competitor Matt Groark; Season 4 BBQ Brawl finalist Chuck Matto of Chuck's Flavor Train, and and Houston recipe-maker Breanna Stark of Married to BBQ. Pitmasters are coming in from Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Chile, England, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Uruguay, and Scotland.

It's all going down at The Barn at Quail Crossing, where guests can taste tons of barbecued meats and sides. Matching the worldly participants are sometimes exotic meats; there will be whole steer, brisket, whole hogs, and even alligator, plus Texas specialties like chili. Guests can vote on their favorite dish for a People's Choice award at the end of the day; a panel of celebrity judges will also choose a favorite.

The family-friendly event also includes live music and kids' activities, and raises funds for Medina County first responders via GoMedina.

At $25 a ticket, this is significantly less expensive than most barbecue events. It sold out in a few weeks in 2023, according to a release, so interested parties should get tickets ASAP. There are also early bird discounts ($5 off).

"In Argentina, we would call this an asado, which refers to the traditional method of barbecuing meat over wood or charcoal embers, just like the gauchos, or cowboys of old, used to do," said Frugoni. "But it also refers to the social gathering that takes place after the meat is cooked. So, basically, this is going to be one giant barbecue party."

Tickets and more information are available at openfiremeatup.com.

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