Downtown San Antonio’s grand dame of hospitality is getting a new dining room. James Beard–nominated chef Leo Davila will open Esencia on February 4, bringing his globally influenced fare to the historic St. Anthony Hotel, 300 E Travis St.As with all of Davila’s concepts, Esencia is deeply per sonal. The chef draws on his Chinese and Mexican heritage to create dishes, sometimes playfully riffing on his San Antonio home. His famous Big Red and barbacoa tacos not only nod to an Alamo City tradition but also to family history. During a soft opening service, a server said he incorporated watermelon radish because of his grandmother’s aversion to onions.Other signature dishes include a Wagyu flank steak carne asada with potato pavé, avocado salad, Asian chimichurri, and heirloom corn tortillas; pork belly layered with apple and pasilla mole; and a tartare-style take on takeout beef and broccoli finished with miso aioli and rice paper. ...read more read less