In July 2019, Matt Balke sat on a terrace at Ashford Castle with a glass of Oban 14 in his hand and his girlfriend Corey McCombs by his side. The castle, located in West Ireland, was built in 1228, and then many years later became the home of the Guinness family. In 1939, it was turned into a hotel. It’s still a hotel. One that serves single malt Scotch whisky to Dallas chefs who are on vacation.
It was over this glass of whisky, poured over a few cubes of ice, that the idea for Encina took shape.
“Corey and I talked about wanting to do something on our own,” Balke says. “We had originally wanted to do a second Bolsa in San Antonio because the dining scene down there is poppin.’ Long story short, it ended with us taking over this space.” He and McCombs signed the lease at the former Bolsa building in Bishop Arts in February of last year with a plan to open Encina by Memorial Day. But we all know what happened to plans that were laid out during the beginning of 2020.
“We were ready to open, but COVID was on the rise, so we just waited,” he says.
The restaurant started serving guests in early October, after a nearly five-month delay, offering dishes inspired by Balke’s past spent in the kitchens at Bolsa and York Street, as well as vacations with McCombs.
You’ll find squash and eggplant casserole, and veal bratwurst with warm potato salad, and skillet cornbread with sorghum butter — all of which can be ordered to go.
Rather than sinking in the uncertainty that comes with opening a restaurant during a pandemic, the chef is turning to the bright spots.
“The situation did allow us some time to slow down and work on some things,” Balke says. “And we’re having a lot of fun, which might sound weird. It’s a pretty tight group of employees. We can all say, ‘Hey, don’t go out, don’t do this, get your temperature checked, if not, you’re going home.’ Trust is the biggest part. And we have that. We’ve built a family here.”
As for the future of Encina, Balke says he’s hopeful.
“Positivity is all you’ve got at this point,” he says. “Back in March, nobody knew what was going to happen. And we still don’t know. We’re relying on a bunch of maybes, but we’re hopeful.”
Matt Balke’s Black-Eyed Pea Fritters
Also on the menu at Encina are the Black-Eyed Pea Fritters.
“I love falafel. And this recipe came about when I was trying to think of another way to make the dish,” Balke says. “I tried them with all fresh peas, but it was too mushy, and then I tried all dry, but that took away from having fresh peas in there, so then I did an almost 50-50 mix and it turned out great.
“At York Street, Sharon [Hage] would always get in black-eyed peas from Tom Spicer, and she would make roasted peas with ham hocks. It was a really fantastic side. And then a couple of years ago there was a tornado out at Sides Pea Farm, and I told them that I would buy, like, 200 pounds of peas. I served them a little out of season, but they do such a good job at freezing and they end up being perfect.
“There’s always room and a need for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options and this encompasses all of it. The dish could work as an appetizer. Or you can fold them up in a pita and serve it with some white bean hummus. Or even just sprinkle a little lemon juice over top and go to town.”
1 pound fresh black-eyed peas
1/2 pound dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 ½ tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped onions
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Garbanzo flour, as needed
Oil for frying (optional)
Combine all ingredients except garbanzo flour and oil in a large bowl and mix well. Using a food processor, in small batches, process until a smooth batter forms, adding a small amount of water if necessary. Remove from bowl and form into 1-inch discs, dredge in garbanzo flour and set aside. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and fry until golden-brown, or omit oil and heat in an air fryer.
