Inside Este’s New Ritual: Breaking Down 200-plus Pound Tunas | Eater Austin

"Known for bold coastal Mexican cooking and honored with a 2023 Eater Award, this East Austin restaurant pushes further with an in-house whole bluefin tuna breakdown ritual. When I stopped by in early August, I watched chef Fermín Núñez, in his gray apron with freshly sharpened knives, and chef de cuisine Alejandra Kuri lead the team as a tightly wrapped 211-pound fish — ethically raised and harvested off Baja California — arrived, the crew cueing up “Baby Shark” before getting to work. Equal parts instructional and playful, they teach everyone the process from mallet-assisted head removal and slicing along the spine to saving nakaochi rib meat and prized belly, rushing loins straight to the walk-in, a ritual now happening two to three times a month based on demand. The broader menu matches that energy, with rich camarones “el ricas,” crispy masa-battered swordfish tacos, and a bright, tangy tuna tiradito." - Cat Cardenas