potenza!

I've sufficiently recovered from the travel day from hell; so I thought I'd turn around some of the lousy energy and recall a super restauarnt I enjoyed in Washington, DC: Potenza. I have yet to be disappointed with any eatery in The District; but Potenza offered the perfect antidote to a long and laborious day, filled with brain drain.

Approaching the bar, restaurant, & bakery from the street, the first scene you're likely to notice is the clearly adept culinary pros preparing Italian sandwiches--made to order--just off the patio. Folks walked right up to these guys, ordered their sammy, then took it to go. Love it! Not the greatest photos, but you get the idea:

The restaurant was packed inside, so we decided to eat at their bar. I'm typically not a "bar-eater," but the friendly and knowledgeable bartenders made doing so at Potenza a thoroughly satisfying experience. I actually think our bar dining ended up being more festive than what we'd have experienced had we chosen a table.

I enjoyed a couple of Bina Bellinis--a blend of white peaches, Italian Vodka and Prosecco (yum, right?) and Fusilli al Ragu d'Agnello--cork screw pasta with spring lamb, pine nuts, mint, and shaved bianco sardo cheese. Both were amazing.


Next time you're in D.C., check it out. It's good stuff.