Stone Oak has a new restaurant showpiece — and it’s already packing the house.
Striking new American-style restaurant Katerina quietly opened at 18740 Stone Oak Parkway, transforming the space formerly occupied by Frida Mexican Kitchen into something almost unrecognizable. The new dining spot is named for Katerina Akimova, owner Dick Jones’ partner, lending the polished new space a personal touch.
“We’re already fully booked for Valentine’s Day and for a wedding in our private dining room,” Jones told the Current during a recent visit — a telling sign that word’s spreading fast.
Gone are the cobalt-blue booths and the piano that once anchored Frida’s dining room. In their place: warm wood tones, polished finishes and the same soaring glass-enclosed dining space, now crowned by a dramatic, towering tree that serves as the restaurant’s centerpiece.
Above the open kitchen, a stretch of backlit amber onyx panels glows like molten gold, casting a warm, theatrical light across the dining room. Jones said the dramatic stonework — along with other ornate design elements — were pieces he collected during travels to China.
A newly added bar sits adjacent to the private dining area, giving the restaurant a natural flow for events, cocktail hours and weekend crowds. The bar program leans both polished and playful depending on the guest in question, anchored by a stellar frozen margarita and a happy hour menu that runs 4-7 p.m., offering an approachable entry point into the otherwise elevated space.
The menu skews firmly American, with a sophisticated edge. Expect wood-grilled steaks, hand-tossed pizzas and a decadent black-truffle burger, among other items. The Katerina signature braised beef short rib — slow-cooked and built for comfort — is another dish the kitchen is betting on.
The culinary program is helmed by chefs Justin Manzi and Greg Carter, the latter, a San Antonio native, the kitchen is focused on refined execution and layered flavors. Manzi predicted the braised beef short rib will quickly become a guest favorite, while the chefs were especially eager to spotlight the coriander-crusted duck breast served with wine-poached Medjool dates and silky parsnip purée.
Dessert, too, is made entirely in-house. Manzi noted the pastry program is a point of pride, with highlights including a maple-peanut butter pie, German chocolate cake and a caramelized banana bread pudding.
With a booked-out Valentine’s Day, weddings already on the calendar and a complete visual transformation, Katerina isn’t just a new tenant in an old space — it’s a full-scale reinvention, and Stone Oak diners are clearly ready for it.
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