Speakeasy News

Speakeasy breezes into Plano at new bar featuring famed mixologist cocktails

The Wilfred will do classic cocktails but with mixology techniques.

Courtesy of Culinaria

Plano finally gets on board with the buzzy speakeasy trend, with a new place called The Wilfred, opening at Lakeside Market, at 4017 Preston Rd. #530.

The concept is from Ryan Oruch, chef and co-owner of Plano’s Sea Breeze Fish Market & Grill, which not coincidentally is located right next door. According to a release, it'll open in April.

Oruch grew up working at Sea Breeze, founded by his father Rick in 2007.

Two years ago, Ryan moved to the Bishop Arts district, a hotbed of food trends, and became inspired to export some of its cocktail speakeasy-style magic to West Plano.

The Wilfred will be a traditional speakeasy, and you know what that means: a fun (though ultimately easy) obstacle to entry that goes beyond simply walking into a front door.

The speakeasy trend first hit Dallas in 2014 and continues to prosper with recent newcomers such as Red Phone Booth in The Colony. Speakeasy hallmarks include a hidden location, an entrance that's invisible or hard to spot, with a secret password or other special info required to gain entry.

Entry to The Wilfred will be in the waiting area at Sea Breeze Fish Market & Grill with a keypad requiring a code for entry — found on The Wilfred’s social media channels or on the bottom of Sea Breeze receipts.

It'll have a main bar area plus two small lounges, boasting the atmosphere of a neighborhood cocktail lounge with sophisticated décor including a hand-crafted bar and artistic bar back, chandeliers, deep burgundy banquettes, and purple brocade wallpaper.

Crafted by two mixology rockstars — Ryan Payne and Gabe Sanchez — the menu will include pre-Prohibition cocktails with innovative techniques, served in cut crystal glassware.

One special cocktail called “The Freddy,” will be served as a shot, with proceeds going to nonprofits, and is named for Oruch's dog. Awww.

"The Wilfred, aka Freddy, is named for my dog who I adopted 11 years ago and has been part of my restaurant journey the whole time," Oruch says.

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Oak Cliff favorite Encina debuts sister restaurant in Duncanville

Photo courtesy of Isabella restaurant

Isabella, by the owners of Encina, is in downtown Duncanville.

For six years, chef Matt Balke and Corey McCombs have built a following at their Oak Cliff restaurant Encina. Now, the married couple and business partners are bringing their New American cooking to Duncanville with Isbella, which opened in mid-October at 200 N. Main St.

When the couple first told CultureMap about plans for Isbella, McCombs said opening a second restaurant "seemed like the logical next step." Many Encina customers come from Duncanville and surrounding cities, she said, so they were excited the restaurant would be closer to home.

Isbella occupies a repurposed midcentury building that once served as a volunteer fire station. Like Encina, it serves New American cuisine with Southern influences, an emphasis on seasonal ingredients, and what McCombs describes as "approachable, comforting food" that's also "elevated."

Isbella's menu includes starters such as Wagyu beef cheek pastrami with sharp cheddar pimento cheese, warm crab dip with sea salt potato chips, ad Granny Isbella's Skillet Cornbread with whipped honey brown cutter and pepper jelly — all priced $12-$18.

Sharables for the table, at $12 a platter, include bacon and tomato braised collard greens, crispy shoestring fries, sweet corn elotes, chile braised black eyed peas, and an avocado and grapefruit salad.

Salads include caprese panzanella and roasted beet. Sandwiches range from chopped steak to a warmed muffuletta with provolone and pepperoni and fried catfish with cabbage.

Entrees include Berkshire pork chop, blackened redfish, roasted jalapeño chicken thighs, and Southern-style barbecue shrimp and grits. Desserts include strawberry goat cheese cheesecake and chocolate pot de crème.

The beverage menu includes wines, local and international ciders and beer, cocktails, and a creative menu of mocktails including one called The Placebo Effect, $10, made with zero-proof Ritual Rum, pineapple, orange, coconut, and cinnamon, and described as "tropical, creamy, and bright."

When Encina opened on Davis Street in Oak Cliff, it took the place of Bolsa — a farm-to-table restaurant where Balke was the chef. When Bolsa closed in 2020, Balke and McCombs took it over and transformed it into Encina.

Isbella is named for Balke's mother and was designed with family ancestry in mind, which shows in small details. The restaurant's handwritten logo, for example, on the signage out front, was inspired by the signature of Balke's grandfather. The owners say they're aiming to foster the same sense of community with Isbella in Duncanville that they've had with Encina.

Isbella is open for dinner Tuesday-Saturday, 5-9 pm, with plans to expand hours and to add Saturday and Sunday brunch soon, they say.

duncanville dining comfort food encina matt balke corey mccombs monte anderson openings