First Look: Potenza
Potenza's rabbit and truffle stuffed tortelloni with white asparagus sauce.
Potenza founder Dan Mesches and his partner, Ralph Rosenberg, have taken a formerly disjointed retail space and converted it into a warm, inviting restaurant that is as versatile as it is professional. The place could serve just as well for a quick bite before the theater as for a family dinner or a long, lingering meal to celebrate a special occasion. They’ve also covered all their bases, complementing the restaurant with an adjacent wine shop and an in-house bakery available for carryout. Potenza’s rustic Italian fare is complemented by a host of signature cocktails—try the capriani, a mix of grappa, muddled grapes and limes—and Italian wines chosen by wine and spirits director Elli Benchimol, a Zola veteran.
Potenza’s menu, which was designed by Executive Chef Bryan Moscatello, is full of dishes inspired by the creators’ visit to Tuscany. It brings a hearty, home-cooked feeling Italian cuisine the neighborhood, paired with the baking prowess of Breadline creator Mark Furstenberg, which explains the yummy bread basket. The warmly but not overly lit dining room is casual without being chintzy, with aged tile, rich wood floors and black and white photo portraits of the likes of Frank Sinatra and Lena Horne Gina Lollobrigida lining the walls.
Start off your meal with some antipasti. Fried risotto balls ($8) stuffed with wild boar sausage are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Another combines seafood with a classic Italian salad: charred octopus over a re-imagined panzanella with crunchy croutons and charred lemon vinaigrette ($9).
As for entrees, the pastas on the menu take center stage. The 11 offerings include a traditional rigatoni “and Sunday Gravy,” ($18) as well as the more refined rabbit and truffle-stuffed tortelloni in white asparagus and truffle sauce ($18)—a dream for those who are of the “you can never have too much truffle” mindset. If you’re still hungry, there are also a number of fish and meat dishes featured—but save room for dessert.
The final course features a number of Italian specialties including chocolate-dipped cannoli filled with mascarpone cream, augmented by orange zest and mini-chocolate chips, and by-the-books tiramisu.
If you don't happen to be looking for a four-course meal, Potenza's menu also includes ultra-thin crust pizzas baked in a 6000 pound wood-burning oven. The gorgonzola dolce is crisp and light, even with its toppings of preserved tomato sauce, gorgonzola, mache and aged balsamic drizzle. There's also a classic margherita, the funghi with three kinds of mushrooms, and the salame picante with spicy soppresetta.
Potenza
1430 H St. NW
(202) 638-4444
Hours: Mon.-Thurs.: 11:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Fri. & Sat.: 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sun.: Brunch, 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Dinner, 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Bakery Hours:
Mon. - Fri.: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sat.: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sun.: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.