Category: Potenza

Potenza is shifting into winter and looking to slightly change the menu just before the Christmas weekend. We’re bringing on an updated version of the Braised Veal Shank (Osso Bucco). Instead of the classic thin cut shanks, we’re keeping the shanks about five inches tall. It’s going to be cooked in a Tomato and Balsamic Jus and a Herb Risotto. The Potenza team is also shifting a classic favorite, the Fried Calamari, for squid that has been tossed with Quinoa Flour, spicy peppers and lemon slices fried crispy. The quinoa flour will give a cleaner and more delicate texture to the squid.

The Bakery menu has been updated and is in full swing for a few weeks. The daily specials have been very popular for lunch time. We have been featuring baked pasta’s such as Lasagna Bolognese and Spinach Stuffed Shells.  The bakery is also serving Saffron; Beet and Rosemary pasta’s for the upcoming weeks along with our Marinara, Gorgonzola and Bread Dip in Mason Jars.

Don’t forget to stop by the Bar and have a few of our new cocktails. My favorite is the Rock with Burnt Orange, Bitters and Cherries. You choose your Whiskey and they pour it…

It’s that time of year when we say good bye to the summer produce and wait with anticipation on what this fall will bring us.  Last week the girlfriend and I took a nice drive through Skyline Drive to see the colors and stop by some farmers’ markets to pick up some goodies for the apt.  Apple butter, cherry and blackberry preserves were at the top of the list. We also picked up some fresh made pumpkin bread in Warrenton.  The next day we fried it up like French Toast and drizzled it with Wildflower Honey.

Last month at Potenza was our first month with some of our new fall items.  It was a brief introduction of what will be on the menu for this winter.  We replaced the summer dominated Asparagus with a roasted Zucchini Parmesan and added Fried Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Cherry peppers and Sweet Garlic Aioli.  We also added the daily specials last week, which has been a great success; the staff’s favorite has got to be the Whole Roasted Pig on Thursdays.  It’s marinated for 2 days with Brandy, apple juice and winter spices and then we braise it for 8 hours.  Each plate consists of several different cuts of pork; one person could get a small rack of ribs, braised shoulder, smoked Pancetta and ravioli that has been simmered in Brandy Apple Glaze.  We garnish it with Broccoli Rabe and Fontina Polenta.  Use caution, this isn’t for the dainty eater!

This month will be the big leap into Fall with Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Wild Boar Ragu and Shaved Reggiano.  We also added the Tagliata di Manzo (Sirloin steak) with herb Brown Butter, Spaghetti Squash and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes.  We’re replacing the Garlic marinated Artichokes with Sage and Chili Spiced Butternut Squash Discs.  The squash is seared on the plancha, which will give it a charred flavor but still keeping with the internal sweetness of the squash.  We’re also replacing our traditional baked pasta’s with two new dishes Baked Ziti with Roasted Chicken and Fennel Sausage.  Potenza is also doing a Traditional Putanesca Sauce that is tossed with Swordfish and Shrimp and baked with our pizza crust as the top crust.

On the dessert side of things for this month, we changed up our dessert menu.  As we anticipated the Triple Chocolate Mousse is a great success!  On October 25^th we started the Pumpkin Tasting that will feature some really exciting dessert options (Seven in all).  The Pumpkin cake is a favorite already; I love the Pumpkin Canoli with the Pepita Shell.  Another great option is the Pumpkin and Gianduja Chocolate Truffles!

It’s that time of year when the fresh produce of the summer begins to fade away and we start looking to fall and what it will bring this season.   At Potenza we’re gearing up for our seasonal change of ingredients and new menu items.  Next week we will be changing almost half of our menu and if you have been to Potenza, you know we have a lot of choices.  Now that I have been working at Potenza for a year and have had several menu changes down, I feel like this will be our best menu yet.

There’s a genuine buzz throughout any kitchen when it’s time to change the menu.   This season is no different, but it does feel even more exciting than the last menu change.   Maybe it’s the dishes that we’re putting together like the Charred Tuna Loin with Roasted Porcini’s and Cippollini’s braised in a Tarragon Sherry Broth with Cauliflower Chickpea Puree.  We then sprinkle the dish with white beans that have been roasted with brown butter Maldon salt and bread crumbs.  They are such crispy, salty fun that we should put them out at the bar as a snack!

We are also preserving the summer vegetables for this menu.  Throughout the restaurant you will see jars of preserved tomatoes from Virginia.  They have been simmered with balsamic vinegar, fennel seed and fresh basil to really lock in the late summer flavor of the tomato.  We preserved some lemons that we are going to toss with those local tomatoes to create our next bruschetta dish that will have Ricotta Salata shaved over the top.  See below:

Daily specials will be offered on the menu.  An old favorite will be brought back, the Lobster Risotto, although, we will be changing it up a little as anyone would do.  This version will have a half lobster that has been steamed and butter poached before being tossed in a rich, creamy mascarpone risotto.  Another fun idea we’re playing with is bringing in a whole pig from our local Virginia farmers.  We are going to marinate it with apples then slow roast it in our pizza oven till the skin is super crispy and the meat is falling off the bone.  I think a nice creamy polenta with braised greens will compliment the flavor and textures of the pig.

On the dessert side of things were working on a Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake.  Yes, I said Triple Chocolate.  The 3 layers consist of a bitter chocolate layer on the bottom the second layer will be a Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse, and topped with a White Chocolate Mousse were bringing this all together with a sweet red wine reduction.  We really haven’t had that big chocolate dessert at Potenza yet, but I think will be one our best desserts on the menu.  See below:

The dessert menu will be changing on Monday the 27^th and the dinner menu will be changing on Friday October 1^st.