Senza Shines with Creative Menu and Curated Wine List

Senza's cozy dining room

When I first stepped into Senza, I felt like I had been transported to one of those trendy wine bars that populate Europe. It certainly didn’t feel like I was in Etna. The team behind the beloved Bar Marco recently reopened Senza, after its former owners decided to pursue other opportunities, and transformed it into a cozy wine bar with an array of exceptional sharable dishes.

The restaurant’s walls are bathed in a warm cream that adds to its ambiance. The space is intimate with seating for about 30, but it’s spaced out well, and it never felt crowded. While I did make reservations both times I dined there, the bar is always open for walk-ins.

The drink menu has a selection of beer and cocktails, but where Senza really shines is in its wine selection. The glass list is thoughtfully curated and mainly consists of lighter wines to complement the food. My favorites included the Nicolas Reau ”Attention Cabernet Blanc” from the Loire Valley in France and the Cascina Ebreo ”Rosso” NV from Piedmont, Italy. They also always have special wines by the glass that are worth trying. My waitress (I had the same one both times) was able to recommend glasses she thought I would enjoy based on the dishes I ordered. She was extremely helpful and a joy to talk to.

Fun design details at Senza

Senza’s dish selection is so much fun. I wouldn’t normally describe a menu like this, but it

feels apt. It’s full of various textures, interesting ingredients that you wouldn’t normally see paired together, and bright flavors. It’s also constantly changing, which keeps things fresh and exciting. There are a few constants on the menu, but much of it is based on seasonal ingredients.

A few of my favorite dishes were the pull-apart bread, the wagyu beef tartare (so good, I ordered it both times), the ramp vichyssoise (sadly, it’s already off the menu), and the polenta di risi e bisi.

Pull-apart bread

Bread is always a must for me, but Senza has definitely raised the bar. Their pull-apart bread was extremely fluffy, just like a dinner roll. The sprinkle of black sesame added a nice hint of flavor, but the arugula and black garlic butter really knocked it out of the park. It was deeply savory and the most delightful start to a meal.

Beef tartare with parmesan pizzelles

I am a beef tartare enthusiast and always order it any time I see it on a menu. This one hits all of the key elements to a perfect tartare: it’s earthy, has the right amount of acidity, and has a luscious texture with a hint of crunch. Another key element to any good tartare is its accoutrement. I love a good chip or crostini, but Senza’s Parmesan pizzelles introduce another flavor element not normally seen with beef tartare. The beef tartare melted in my mouth, and the pizzelles added the much-needed crispy element. It was truly a perfect bite. This is a must-order at Senza.

Unfortunately for you, the ramp vichyssoise is already gone from the menu. The good news for me is that I got to try it before it disappeared, and it changed my life. That sounds very dramatic, but it’s true. In a world where many restaurants put ramps in everything without any real purpose, Senza made sure you knew that the ramps were the star of the show in this dish. The ramps were front and center, but weren’t too overpowering; they just enhanced the flavors of a typical vichyssoise. The soup was earthy and deeply aromatic. The farro further added to the earthiness while also bringing in a chewy, al dente texture. This was a perfect dish, and when ramp season returns next year, I can only hope Senza makes this soup again.

Polenta di risi e bisi

The polenta di risi e bisi was a last-minute addition to my order when I visited the second time, and I’m so glad I tried it. Risi e bisi is a classic, hearty Venetian meal that means rice and peas. Senza enhanced the flavor and texture profile of their version with applewood bacon, pecorino and macadamia nuts. The bacon and nuts added both crunchiness and savoriness to the creamy polenta. This dish was comforting and filling compared to Senza’s lighter fare.

Senza continues the trend of putting unique spins on classic menu items with the house-made stracciatella. Typically, you see stracciatella (creamy burrata filling) paired with fresh vegetables and some type of vinegar, but Senza goes in a completely different direction. The stracciatella is paired with piquillo pepper, cheddar (more cheese, yay!), smoked paprika vinaigrette and a butter cracker. The piquillo peppers and smoked paprika vinaigrette added both a roasted flavor and a hit of acidity. I would have never thought to put a cracker and cheddar cheese on top of the stracciatella, but it added dimension to the creamy dish. If you love cheese like I do, then this is for you.

Fungal Farms mushrooms

I had to get some vegetables in the mix, so I ordered the Fungal Farms mushrooms. While this doesn’t sound enticing, you know Senza elevated this vegetable to the next level with their culinary wizardry. The savoriness level of the mushrooms was amped up to 10 with both foie gras and nduja mixed into the mushrooms. The Coldco cress and sungold tomatoes brought the dish back down to earth and rounded it out nicely. I urge you to try this, even if you’re not normally a fan of mushrooms.

Potato pavé

No meal is complete without some form of potato on the table. A lot of love goes into the potato pavé, which is thinly sliced potatoes layered in a pan and then baked to crispy perfection. Everyone knows potatoes are nothing without some kind of sauce, and Senza crafted the most delectable ramp hollandaise. It was creamy and herbaceous, and along with the fresh asparagus and pickled pepper, it brightened up the starchy potato pavé.

The peekytoe crab wasn’t on my radar until my second visit, when my dining partner insisted we order it. The crab was extremely tender, and the Madeira panna cotta brought out the sweetness in the crab; it was both rich and luxurious.

There is not a bad dish on Senza’s menu, but there were a few that I wouldn’t order again. The chickpea panisse was delightfully crispy, but a little too heavy and salty compared to the rest of the menu. The foie gras crème brûlée had a gorgeous, crunchy texture on top, but the elements it was paired with didn’t quite complement its slightly sweet flavor profile. The porchetta-spiced sunchokes had a unique sweet-and-savory sauce, but the sunchokes themselves tasted a little undercooked.

While over the course of my two visits I sampled a good bit of Senza’s menu, there are still dishes I want to try, like the onion rings with dijonnaise, the pepperoni arancini and the sourdough cavatelli.

I absolutely loved the welcoming, down-to-earth vibe I experienced during both of my meals at this cozy Etna restaurant. I can definitely see Senza becoming my new go-to spot. Our waitress was easy to chat with, and she was also clearly very knowledgeable about food and wine, which made our meal even more of a delight. I had some interesting food combinations that I can truly say I’ve never tasted before, and that speaks to the strength and creativity of Senza’s kitchen. I’m intrigued to see what Senza will whip up  next.