Volterra Restaurant Celebrates the First Decade of its enduring Italian Love Affair

What started as a romantic travel destination in 2002, a home in 2004 and the site of their wedding, the Old World town of Volterra, Italy became a love affair that Michelle Quisenberry and chef Don Curtiss brought home as their namesake inspiration for the Italian restaurant they opened in April 2005 in Ballard. Ten years later, the popular Volterra restaurant is hosting an anniversary celebration on April 15. It will offer a five-course, wine-paired Tuscan tasting menu featuring the bounty of the Pacific Northwest for $100. In honor of the anniversary, special guest celebrity mixologist Kathy Casey of Liquid Kitchen is creating signature cocktails with a Tuscan flair for the dinner and a Love Potion #10 bottled cocktail which will be on the regular menu. Cocktail service begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner from 7-10 p.m. Volterra’s sister location in Kirkland will offer the same celebration dinner on April 16. Ticket purchase required (link below).

In their travels, the couple forged deep friendships with Volterra’s residents and proprietors including chef and vigneron Genuino Del Duca (who prepared their wedding dinner). Del Duca will be contributing a special recipe of Wild Boar Ravioli with saffron and potato sauce to the celebration tasting menu as well asthree of his Marcampo Estate wines imported exclusively in the U.S. for Volterra: Genuino 2013 (80% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot), Marcampo 2010 (50% Sangiovese, 50% Merlot), and Giusto alle Balze 2012 (100% Merlot). Ms. Claudia Del Duca, a winemaker and sommelier from the family winery, tourism, restaurant and olive oil enterprise, will take part in the April 15 and 16 dinner celebrations.

2015 Volterra Favorites Menu

In addition to the April event, from April 24 through the rest of 2015, the restaurant will offer a Volterra Favorites Tasting Menu, a four-course menu full of popular options for $45 featuring the seasonal favorites of the last 10 years, including:

· First Course: Choice of Oil Soup (Cannellini bean and smoked pork jowl soup with a generous drizzling of Tuscan olive oil), Polenta with Wild mushrooms, or Mussels and Sausage.

· Second Course: Choice of Caesar salad or Pork Jowls and Wild Mushrooms (created for Quisenberry and Curtiss’ rehearsal dinner).

· Third Course: Choice of Wild Boar Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Mustard Sauce (Curtiss’ signature dish), Beef Tenderloin draped in Lardo with Chianti Demiglaze, Crispy Herb Chicken, Roasted Eggplant Pouches (a favorite of vegetarian and non-vegetarians), or Seafood Baked in Parchment.

· Dessert: Choice of Tuscan Chestnut Honey Panna Cotta, Tiramisu (Don’s adaptation of the Italian classic), or Molten Dark Chocolate Cake with D’Ambrosio vanilla gelato.

Volterra Memories

Quisenberry and Curtiss’ shared enthusiasm for Volterra, Italy has also prompted many of their Seattle guests to travel to this enchanted city over the years. As such, guests will be sharing their favorite memories of not just Volterra restaurant but their guests’ own travels to Volterra, Italy–many of which Quisenberry often participated with her travel recommendations. These guest-owner connections have fostered a lifetime of memories and cemented longtime friendships. Guest’s and the restaurant’s best Volterra memories will be posted on social media to publicly celebrate using the #Volterra10 hashtag. All Volterra guests are encouraged to share their memories throughout the year.

To Purchase Tickets for the Anniversary Dinners:
April 15 (Ballard): http://volterra-restaurant.myshopify.com/products/volterra10ballard
April 16 (Kirkland): http://volterra-restaurant.myshopify.com/products/volterra10kirkland

Find Volterra in Ballard at 5411 Ballard Avenue Northwest, Seattle; 206-789-5100 or Volterra Kirkland at 121 Kirkland Avenue; 425-202-7201. Learn more about Volterra restaurant at www.volterrarestaurant.com.