Fredericksburg's Poppy Hill named by Epicurious to
"Top 10 Farm-to-Table Restaurants in U.S.A." List
Restaurant team announces new seasonal
menus and outdoor patio brunch
Fredericksburg, VA - Chef Scott Mahar's Poppy
Hill Tuscan Kitchen (www.ciaopoppyhill.com),
situated in the heart of Fredericksburg, VA's historic district,
was named this month by Epicurious to its "Top
10 Farm-to-Table Restaurants in the U.S.A." list.
Though
buying locally and growing natural produce is now a growing
movement, the practice is not a new phenomenon for the Poppy
Hill team of Owner/Executive Chef Scott Mahar and Wine Director/General
Manager Ingrid Mahar. In its May farm-to-table feature, Epicurious,
the national CondéNet food site connected to Gourmet
and Bon Appétit magazines, singles out Poppy Kitchen
for its dedication to thinking globally and sourcing locally
since the restaurant's 2005 launch.
"It
doesn't get any more mutually beneficial than this: Co-owner
and chef Scott Mahar works hand in hand with nearby farmer Jane
Van Zalhah at Friendly Cottage Farms to decide what's planted
and how it's nurtured," according to Epicurious writer
Joanne Camas. Chef Mahar's farm-fresh ingredients include local
mushrooms and eggs, fresh Virginia greens and vegetables, and
seasonal fruit from area orchards. Mahar also creates all of
his hand-crafted pastas in-house, using premium, organic ingredients.
"The bottom line is that we have an inherent responsibility
to feed guests well from a health and flavor perspective,"
Chef Mahar notes in the Epicurious feature. "Why should
I buy my eggs from Lincoln, Nebraska, when I can buy great-quality
eggs from someone just up the road from my restaurant? It may
cost a bit more, but we know where the eggs came from, what
the farmers were feeding their chickens, and we support our
local economy to boot."
Prior to launching Poppy Hill, Mahar, a Cordon Bleu graduate,
honed his culinary skills under some of the best names in the
business, including Chanterelle Chef David Waltuck (named Best
New York City Chef in 2007), and Italian cuisine icon Roberto
Donna at Washington, DC's famed Galileo.
In
additional news, Chef Mahar today announced Poppy Hill's new
seasonal dinner and lunch menus, as well as his special brunch
menu geared toward leisurely meals on the restaurant's sun-filled
patio. The talented chef's brunch menu includes delicacies such
as Ricotta Pancakes, and Saffron-Roasted Salmon. For dinner,
patrons can expect flavorful classics such as Wild Boar Bolognese,
Roasted Duck Cacciatore, Balsamic Glazed Chicken, and Farmers
Market Primavera with Hand-Cut Arugula Pasta.
Trained
in both cuisine and pastry, Mahar is equally known for his winning
gourmet desserts - all freshly crafted on site daily "from
the shell to the filling." Popular sweets at Poppy Hill
this season include Limoncello Trifle, Almond Cream Cake, and
"Intense Chocolate Cake" - layered with chocolate
ganache, mousse and chocolate cake.
To complement Chef Mahar's cuisine, Ingrid has developed a continually
updated wine list at Poppy Hill; the list features award-winning,
small production Italian and California wines. The restaurant's
unique and "price-friendly" wine list also includes
special varietals of chemical-free and organic wines, as well
as a generous selection of by-the-glass options.
Virginia
food press praises Chef Mahar as a "culinary craftsman"
and "fearless foodie." His distinct cooking style,
learned in large measure from his Italian grandfather, showcases
some of the same fresh ingredients his grandfather would produce
from his own garden for meals with extended family. The end
result is reflected today in the winning Tuscan dishes which
greet guests at Poppy Hill.
"Our
whole team feels fortunate about the work we do each day at
Poppy Hill Tuscan Kitchen," Mahar noted. "It really
is rewarding to see patrons enjoy the entire dining experience
when they come visit us. There are a lot of dining options out
there, so having full dining rooms each day more than offsets
our hard work."
Resources:
To read the full Epicurious feature, visit http://tinyurl.com/3m58mc
.
For further information, visit www.ciaopoppyhill.com.
For reservations, call (540) 373-2035.