A custom wood-burning pit is about to start turning out brisket biryani and tandoori kebabs on Tillery Street, where chef Laila Bazahm is opening her third Austin restaurant in four years. The concept, called Shola, is expected to open in November at 105 Tillery St. in East Austin, in the space long occupied by Tex-Mex restaurant Grizzelda's.
Bazahm describes Shola as an Indian-Texan smokehouse that blends dhaba-style live-fire cooking with Central Texas barbecue, according to CultureMap Austin. The project comes from her hospitality group, Guerilla Dining Concepts, and she is developing the menu alongside co-developer Hari Nayak, a New York-based chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author who grew up in Udupi, India. Nayak has helped develop and curate restaurants around the world, including Jhol in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, and projects in Dubai, Bengaluru, Riyadh, and the Maldives.
A Chef Who Traded Wall Street for Wood-Fired Kitchens
Bazahm's path to Austin's dining scene is anything but typical. Before shifting to the culinary industry at age 28, she worked in corporate finance at J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Bank, according to Chef's PSA. She went on to complete a stage at Mugaritz in Spain under chef Andoni Luis Aduriz and worked at Michelin-starred Saint Pierre in Singapore before opening her first restaurant, Hawker 45, in Barcelona, the outlet reports.
Bazahm opened her first Austin concept, El Raval, in 2023 at 1500 South Lamar Blvd., serving Spanish tapas infused with Middle Eastern, North African, and Asian influences, per Visit Austin. She developed Shola's inspiration during her years working as a chef and restaurateur in Spain, and she also traveled to London to explore Indian restaurants as she shaped the new concept, the CultureMap report notes.
Siti's Michelin Nod and a TV Cooking Win
Bazahm's second Austin concept, Siti, opened after El Raval. Siti represents the cuisines of the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, and the restaurant celebrated its first anniversary this year. Bazahm is associated with Guerilla Dining Concepts.
Bazahm's profile got a national boost when she competed on Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay in an episode that aired in August 2025, winning the competition with her signature Filipino oxtail stew, Kare-Kare, according to TVmaze. The episode highlighted that dish.
Inside Shola's Menu: Biryani, Tandoor Kebabs, and Brisket Nihari
Shola takes its name from the Urdu and Hindi word for living flame, and the menu leans into that theme with dhaba-style dishes — the hearty, boldly spiced fare typically cooked over open flames or in clay tandoor ovens. The kitchen will center on a custom J&R Oyler wood-burning pit with rotating racks that expose food evenly to heat and smoke, and meats will cook over post oak for eight to 12 hours, per the CultureMap report. A tandoor will handle kebabs and naan, while the smoker will also be used for lentils, vegetables, sauces, and ghee.
Menu items include biryani with smoked brisket, goat, chicken, or jackfruit, along with applewood-smoked butter chicken and tamarind pork ribs finished with a jaggery-tamarind glaze, crispy ginger, and red chiles. Oak-smoked brisket nihari arrives with a black pepper-garam masala crust, bone-broth korma, and pickled daikon, while goat shoulder comes with black pepper-cashew korma. Diners can also add a chorizo verde made in the style of a seekh kebab, and the kitchen will serve a smoked sausage made with lamb, kebab spices, and Amul cheese.
Lighter and shareable options round out the menu, including a masala queso combining smoked paneer, Oaxacan cheese, and green chile chutney; passion fruit pani puri; and a Punjabi chana tostada on a crisp semolina cracker. The Shola Feast, designed for two people, combines bone-in chicken, brisket, sausage, gunpowder potatoes, and tandoori broccoli. Overall, the menu will span regional curries, coastal seafood, house-made breads, chutneys, and vegetarian options, according to the same report.
A Desi Pub Vibe With Cricket on the Patio
Bazahm has said she saw room in Austin for a restaurant presenting distinct Indian flavors and traditions, and Shola is designed as a casual, social gathering place inspired by desi pubs and night markets. The bar will serve cocktails designed to accompany the menu's spices and smoked flavors, and the patio will show sporting events, particularly cricket, on a screen.
The restaurant will occupy the former Grizzelda's space, a Tex-Mex spot affiliated with the group behind Jacoby's. Grizzelda's was a Tex-Mex spot associated with that group; ATX Things provides Austin beverage data. Shola sits in the dining area around Tillery Street and East César Chávez, a stretch of East Austin that has become increasingly dense with new restaurant concepts. As of now, Shola has not announced its exact opening date, hours, or reservation information beyond the expected November timeline.
Part of a Broader Fusion Barbecue Wave
Shola joins a growing trend of ethnic-infused barbecue concepts across Central Texas, according to Texas Highways. That fusion wave has expanded from Middle Eastern and Asian influences to now include Indian traditions. The shift tracks with regional demographic change, according to Opportunity Austin.
