LOCAL Houston | The City Guide February 2018 | Page 18

FOOD | ARTS | COMMUNITY | STYLE+LEISURE
DINE WRITE
HOME RUN
DANNY TRACE TEAMS UP WITH JIM CRANE AT POTENTE
By Janice Schindeler
Photography by Alex Gabriel
Truffle Pasta
07.8.2017
4:51pm
Frutti di Mare
BLACK, GOLD AND MIRRORED. THE LUXE INTERIOR OF POTENTE FORESHADOWS AN EVENING OF PLEASURE. THE IMPRESSIVE
RESTAURANT, THE BRAINCHILD OF ASTROS OWNER JIM CRANE, IS LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE HOME FIELD OF THE
WORLD SERIES CHAMPS AND RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO CRANE’S MORE CASUAL EATERY, OSSO AND KRISTALLA.
At Potente, Crane put together another winning team. General manager and bon vivant Bill Floyd makes sure the front
of the house fills every whim and desire. The service proves all-encompassing, meeting every dining need without
intrusion. Tables are graciously spaced to keep conversations private; enormous black leather banquettes delightfully
dwarf the lucky occupants. And the menus light up!
as delicious as they are beautiful should come as no surprise. Trace has the heart
and soul of an artist, a classic culinary background, nerves of steel and a passion
for ingredients that dates back to his Louisiana childhood.
“The other day I saw a tray of tortelloni in the kitchen. The perfect hand-formed
shapes, the scattered semolina – it looked too beautiful to cook. Such beauty, such
art – this is why I am here – the passion of it all,” says Trace. “I have those moments
in the kitchen when I see such beauty – I get so freaked out, so excited.”
A graduate of Johnson and Wales, Trace did an old school externship at
Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. Upon completion, he sought employment
there from then-Exec Chef Jamie Shannon. He still recalls Shannon’s admonitions. “I
will never forget that moment. He said to me, ‘This is not an easy job. You will work
all weekends, every holiday. All your friends will make more money than you. Family
life is tough. If you are okay with all that I will sign you up. ’”
Bistecca
With Executive Chef
Danny Trace leading the
kitchen, the fact that the
plates are as delicious as
they are beautiful should
come as no surprise.
The food? Polipetti Arrostiti: fork tender, oak wood-roasted octopus tinged with a char, sparked with Calabrian chili
on a small nest of housemade, squid ink pasta – magnificent even for the faint of heart. Tonno and Foie Gras: the
cubes of pristine raw tuna accented with a grating of frozen, yet creamy foie gras and a delicate slice of briny caper
berry – fresh, soothing and salty. With Executive Chef DANNY TRACE leading the kitchen, the fact that the plates are
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2 . 2018 | L O C A L
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