Pane Nero     Dark rye bread, compliments of Il Fornaio

Zuppa d’Orzo e Cannellini   Vegetable soup with barley, cannellini beans and rye bread croutons
$3.95 cup / $5.95 bowl     Vinaia Pinot Grigio

Canederli con Spinaci   Large spinach and parmesan dumplings served in chicken broth   $6.50
  Il Fornaio Pinot Grigio

Asparagi Bianchi alla Bolzanina   White asparagus topped with Bolzanina sauce   $7.50
  Pinot Bianco

Polenta con Goulash   Braised beef with onions, herbs and spices, served over soft polenta   $6.95     Marzemino

Cannelloni di Bietole e Prosciutto   Fresh pasta tubes filled with swiss chard, spinach, shallots, prosciutto, smoked mozzarella and ricotta; wood-fired with tomato-bechamel   $14.50
  Vinaia Pinot Grigio

Tagliatelle al Salmone   Fresh pasta ribbons with smoked salmon, chives and capers; tomato brandy-cream   $12.95     Pinot Bianco

Pasta alla Castellana   Short pasta tubes tossed with bacon, pork tenderloin, shiitake mushrooms, parmesan, brandy-cream sauce, and thyme   $13.95     Marzemino

Risotto alla Meranese   Risotto with speck, porcini, white wine, mushrooms, leeks, shallots and parmesan   $15.95     Pinot Bianco

Medaglioni di Pollo   Chicken breast scaloppini with gruyere cheese and portobello mushrooms; served with broccolini, mashed potatoes and “sweet and sour” red cabbage   $17.95     Vinaia Pinot Grigio

Braciola di Maiale Affumicata   Grilled smoked pork chop topped with crispy pancetta and sage; served with Yukon gold potatoes and “sweet and sour” red cabbage   $18.95     Marzemino

Salmone val Ultimo   Grilled Atlantic salmon with marjoram-dill hollandaise, sautéed leeks and cherry tomatoes; served over soft polenta   $19.95     Marzemino

Torta della Selva Nera   Chocolate sponge cake with rum, amarena cherries, cream and dark chocolate shavings, topped with whipped cream   $6.50

FRANZ E. JUNGA
Chef-Partner

FRANZ JUNGA has been with Il Fornaio since 1996. After three years as a Chef-Partner, Franz was rewarded with a coveted invitation to join the 2003 Il Fornaio Chef’s Tour.


Franz traveled throughout Italy as part of the Chef ’s tour, which is designed to totally immerse our chefs in authentic Italian cuisine.

“I felt extremely honored to have been invited to participate in the Chef ’s Tour, and hope all our guests will benefit from my experience.”

Two of his favorite dishes from the trip, Braciola di Maiale Affumicata and the Risotto alla Meranese, are prepared precisely as he saw firsthand. He especially recommends the Polenta con Goulash, a truly traditional food from the region and one he frequently shared with his family while growing up.

Franz’s influence to become a chef started with his parents' traditional Polish and German home cooking. He fondly remembers spending time preparing these Austrian influenced original family recipes with his parents, grandparents and aunt.

Growing up in Menlo Park, California, Franz stayed in the Bay Area until he attended Lewis & Clark college in Portland. After graduating, Franz switched gears and enrolled in the prestigious Western Culinary Academy in Portland. He soon realized that he had a true passion for cooking and made the most of his time working closely with each professor to develop his skills. Franz graduated culinary school with honors in 1996.

Franz credits his experience in Trentino-Alto Adige as “essential” in developing this month’s regional menu and remarked, “If everyone only knew how authentic our recipes are! The food of Trentino is so different from what many people think of Italian food due to its Austrian influence. Smoked meats, pork, speck and sausage are commonly used in these hearty recipes. The food here is unique and you won’t find it anywhere else.”

Franz personally spent a great deal of time observing the different food preparations when he and other Il Fornaio chefs toured the towns of Trento and Bolzano.

Two distinctly different provinces make up Italy’s northernmost region. Approximately two-thirds of the population is German-speaking, with the remaining one-third Italian. The Austrian influence is seen throughout the cuisine: from grilled sausage and cured meats to full-flavored cheeses and hearty grains.

     TRENTINOALTO ADIGE

Trentino has a definite Italian flair and is almost entirely Italian speaking. But the Austrian influence is still strong in the cuisine, where dishes are a combination of the Italian and Austrian kitchens. Countless lakes and mountain streams make Trentino the best place in Italy for freshwater fishing. Agriculture (mushrooms, cabbage, potatoes) and the

Alto Adige (also known as the “South Tyrol”) was part of the Austrian empire for six centuries. It came into the Italian domain in 1919 when the Austro-Hungarian empire was carved up and European borders were redrawn. A dominant element in Alto Adige cooking is pork, so you will find many dishes with ham and speck (smoked ham).