Poco’s Now Offering Expanded Menu, Sustainable Options

Poco’s Bow Street Cantina
Ali Plankey
Green Alliance Writer

PORTSMOUTH— How many Mexican restaurants do you know that can say they exclusively use locally caught fresh lobster, scallops and haddock every night? Everything at Poco’s Bow Street Cantina is homemade and often organic and locally sourced, including the extensive variety of soups and chowders, veggie burgers, salsas and hot sauces, down to every last dressing and queso dip. Marlisa Geroulo, owner and founder of Poco’s Bow Street Cantina, guarantees to never sacrifice quality for the sake of profits.

When Poco’s made the decision to partner with the Green Alliance, they began to expand their business even further. Right from the start, Poco’s began to take steps towards a sustainable future by composting left over food, recycling, using efficient heating systems, and using corn-based alternatives to plastic for cups to reduce waste. Geroulo is also working towards a “zero waste” policy, which is exactly what it sounds like - using the power of composting and recycling to drastically minimize waste until it is no longer existent. Currently, they are seeking LEED certification, making them the only deckside establishment in the area to achieve such a status.  

The Green Alliance is a Portsmouth-based union of local sustainable businesses promoting environmentally sound business practices and a green co-op offering discounted green products and services to its members. Green Alliance members receive a 10 percent discount at Poco’s that includes all food and beverages.

Poco's has recently expanded their menu to include non-typical Mexican food. It continues to include all natural meats in their famous burgers and quesadillas, but has now welcomed vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Additionally, its kid’s menu has also been modified to offer healthier options.

Poco's offers a unique atmosphere for their customers: from a family dining experience to the late night crowd, the restaurant makes use of its setting. Geroulo's husband, John Golumb runs neighboring establishment, Two Ceres Street. During the summer months, the two restaurants become one, under the Poco's name, with the removal of a partition wall. For its part, Two Ceres has undergone a green makeover using materials made of reclaimed wood and recycled plastic bottles, for the bar, floors and tabletops.

For Geroulo and Golumb, their sustainable efforts are motivated by their personal lives.

"We try to be as conscious as possible in our daily actions; we go to the local farmers market, we drive a hybrid car, and use water catchment barrels at home; these are a few examples of small steps we take on a daily basis, that have a positive impact overall,” said Geroulo.

Nestled into the quintessential banks of the Piscataqua River, Poco's outdoor decks afford patrons stunning views and earned the restaurant the Best of N.H. Outdoor Dining designation in 2011. Geroulo intends to install a high-efficiency furnace to the deck space to sustainably provide warmth on cool summer nights. By creating a space that is comfortable, fun and sustainable, Geroulo and Golumb have built Poco's into a premier dining experience that not only welcomes new visitors, but has also become a fixture for the local community.

"We feel in a lot of ways like we've grown with the city -- a city we can't thank enough for all they've given over the last thirty years, and who we can hopefully continue giving back to," said Golumb. "And that includes our green initiatives. We just thought it was the right thing to do, and when we look at where we've been and how far we've come, we know we made the right decisions along the way."

To see Poco's Bow Street Cantina's full-menu and specials, please visit www.pocosbowstreetcantina.com

To learn more about the Green Alliance, visit www.greenalliance.biz