Wimberley Inn’s kitchen banging with flavor

So Josh Polanowski, the chef at the Wimberley Inn’s new restaurant, has done the research.

The nearest place that serves bangers and mash — the traditional British dish of sausage, potatoes and onion gravy — is about 50 miles away.

Josh is proud of his bangers and mash. It’s the best thing on the menu, he says. The beef-based sausage is made in house and the mashed potatoes are fresh.

“My mom would’ve been impressed by those sausages,” says Josh, who remembers sausage-making as a family tradition when he was growing up.

“I want the food here to be high quality,” says Josh. “We want it to be something you’ll remember and tell other people about.”

The Wimberley Inn, at 200 FM 3237, has been spruced up. In addition to its 21 rooms, there’s a sophisticated bar with a hand-painted, Hill Country-inspired mural that wraps around the room. The restaurant opened in August and has been steadily gaining a following. There are plans to build a pool, pool bar and a wedding venue. The target date for completion is next March.

“Everything we do is guest focused. We don’t want to be seen as a hotel only for our guests— and no one from the outside. We want the local community to stop by as well,” says Matt Horsely, the director of food and beverage for Austin-based Alexa Management that oversees operations of the Wimberley Inn. Alexa also manages the 7A Resort in Wimberley as well as several properties in the Austin area.

Constantly changing

Under Matt’s and Josh’s watchful eyes, the restaurant is constantly evolving. At first, they just served bar food and appetizers. Recently, larger entrees — such as the bangers and mash and basil-butter chicken — were added to the menu.

The restaurant and bar is open until 9 p.m. on weeknights and until 10 on weekends. Wimberley closes up pretty early most evenings so there’s thought of extending the hours for those who want a late snack or a cocktail after attending a play at the nearby Wimberley Playhouse. “If we feel there is an opportunity, we’ll stay open until 11 or 12 o’clock,” says Matt, who started working in restaurants while a teenager in his native Liverpool. He came to the United States in 2012.

The food is, for the most part, made from scratch. On a recent afternoon, the sausages were cooking, potatoes were being whipped and the hamburger and slider buns were getting ready for the oven.

Amber Polanowski is the pastry chef. She and Josh were recently wed. They got married on a Friday morning and were back at work Friday afternoon. After all, Friday is a busy day.

Josh knows a little about burgers. He worked at the popular 5.ATE Café in Spring, Texas, which serves an award-winning hamburger.

A lot of thought goes into each dish. Matt recalls a recent extended conversation with Josh about the kind of lettuce that should be served on the burger. Iceberg? Bibb?

“To a lot of people that would be boring,” says Matt, “but to me, that’s music to my ears.” They settled on a mixed-leaf blend that includes red lettuce and arugula.

Josh’s eyes light up when he’s asked about what he’d like to add to the menu in the future. He rattles off a list: a “light” seafood, Whiskey River chicken made with bourbon, spicy mashed potatoes with cayenne and a brunch that would feature Amber’s house-made English muffins and bagels.

That will come in time.

“We don’t try to rush things through. We’ll pull the trigger and go with it when it is fully supported,” explains Matt. Adds Josh: “I don’t want my name associated with something that is half done.”

So expect some new dishes in the coming months. But Matt says one thing will remain constant: “We want this restaurant and bar to have a relaxed feel to it. We don’t want anyone to feel rushed.”

Outside dining

Most of the dining tables are nestled among the trees on the deck outside the lounge. There’s a fire pit for those chilly nights. Matt figures there’s room for about 75 people.

The lounge area is roomy with a couple long, comfy couches. The bar menu features cocktails from the tried and true — such as the best-selling classic Old Fashioned — to trendy craft creations like the El Zorro with tequila, grapefruit, lime, agave, Thai sage and salt. The Little Sip of Heaven cocktail— a play on the Wimberley motto — has lemon vodka, blackberry and mint shrub, and Topo Chico.

Most of the beers are from Texas and the wine ranges from nearby Duchman Sangiovese to French rosé and Italian pinot grigio. Happy hour is from 4-6 p.m.

Right now, the Wimberley Inn hosts small-to medium-sized events, but when the wedding venue is completed, up to 150 people can be accommodated, says Matt.

Since the Alexa group manages both the Wimberley Inn and 7A, guests are free to use the facilities at either location. For example, an Inn guest can get Blanco River access at 7A and a 7A guest can park at the Inn and stroll to the square.

Matt and Josh both admit these are trying times to open a restaurant. Getting adequate help is an issue, ingredients can be in short supply and prices are rising. But so far, things are working out.

“If we have a busy night and service is a little slow, we have to be honest with people and tell them we are just very busy tonight,” says Matt.

Meanwhile, Josh is happy in his spacious, modern new kitchen: “My favorite thing is that glass door. I can look out and see people enjoying the food — and you can’t beat that view.”