Amada

[I_call_the_duck]

I feel as if I have been misrepresented.   But damn, that pig was good!

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How's this, Duck?

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Oh, Kermie,

How did you know that Cookie Monster is my favorite muppet?

[philadining]

No surprise, I had yet another fantastic meal at Amada on saturday. Between the 4 of us we had:

PULPO CALLEGO / Spanish Octopus,

PATATAS BRAVAS / Spicy Potatoes,

PIQUILLOS RELLENOS / Crab-Stuffed Peppers,

MELON CON JAMON / Serrano Ham & Cantelope,

CROQUETAS DE JAMON / Ham Croquettes

COLCOTS CON SALBITXADA / Charred Green Onions

CALAMARI (a la Plancha)

two Cocas -

GAMBAS CON GARBANZOS / Shrimp, Chorizo & Garbanzo Bean Puree

COSTILLAS DE TERNERA/Beef Shortribs, Horseradish, Parmesan and Bacon

PERNIL ASADO / Roasted Pork, White Beans, Arugula and Orange

MERLUZA EN SALSA VERDE / Spanish Sea Bass, White Wine, Clams & Parsley

ATUN Y TOMATE / Seared Tuna w/ Tomato Escabeche & Manchego Croquettes

CHOCOLATE EN CINCO TEXTURAS / Chocolate 5 Ways

BANANA Y AZAFRAN / Caramelized Bananas and Chocolate Cake w/ Saffron Custard

We made it through a couple pitchers of red sangria and a "Bad Education" which both got a strong thumbs-up from the whole crowd.

Once again, we liked everything, and this was almost exactly the right amount of food for us, about 3 plates per person.

The shortrib coca was freaking outrageous, a big favorite with everyone. The octopus and the ham croquettes were standouts as well. The Pernil is a pretty good small-scale approximation of the whole roasted pig, so if you don't have a gang, or can't plan ahead, just order this... The calamari were really beautifully done, just a quick sear on the plancha, and a good dose with oil and garlic, and almost too much salt, but not quite, we loved them. The tuna was very good, just barely seared on one side, and what could possibly be bad about a manchego croquette beside it? Nothing, I tell you, nothing.

The Crab-stuffed peppers might be a little subtle, and the sea bass didn't thrill me, although the tiny, sweet clams that accompanied were amazing. Nothing wrong with either dish, just on the plain side.

Service was excellent, we had a very helpful and knowledgeable server, and good pacing of the plates. We had to wait maybe 15 minutes after our reservation for our table, but I can't fault a restaurant for that on a saturday night. We sat WAY in the back in a little room with only two tables, which was very nice, and a bit quieter than the raucous front room.

Overall, an excellent evening, and a big hit with some out-of-town guests. Thanks to all the Amada folks, and to Katie for, you know, being Katie. (And yo, I stole a sip of that Bad Education, and that is one delicious drink!)

[KatieLoeb]

Glad you and your guests enjoyed everything. You had a few of my menu favorites. The Melon and Ham is the best version of that I've had - I think because the Serrano ham is a bit less salty than prosciutto I like it better, and that little seared sugar glaze on top is yummy. The grilled tuna is great too and those manchego croquettes are TDF. I could eat those like popcorn until I fell over from overindulgence.

That Bad Education is a favorite. Everyone likes that drink a whole lot. It's really just an orange mojito - a twist on an old favorite. The Mad Bartendrix has taken over my kitchen of late and I've doing some experimenting at home. I'm gearing up some new cocktails and hoping they might make it on to the list in several weeks. But the Bad Education isn't going anywhere, it's too popular.

[etalanian]

Haven't seen much about lunch...so, today I indulged when a good friend came from Lancaster. The food is just as exquisite as it is at dinner, but the place is not crowded, so we felt comfortable taking our time and savoring every bite. (And I do mean EVERY bite.)

We ordered a few things and shared everything. Started with that wonderful chopped green salad. Just thinking about it makes me want more. Cheese trio. So succulent with the paired condiments - love that lavender honey. Grilled lobster, grilled fois gras. Did I say we ate every bite? We almost licked the plates. Spicy potatoes. So addictive. Washed it down with a Portuguese Cabernet. (I think - correct me if I'm wrong, Katie.)

Two desserts were offered, and we didn't want to play favorites, so we ordered both. The almond foam is a pleasant contrast to the richness of the carmelized bananas and brownie. But the best was the house version of Creme Brulee. Just the most fleeting and perfect touch of lavender. Absolutely exquisite. And of course, the LaColombe coffee.

A great afternoon treat, Katie! Enjoyed meeting you, too!

Go for lunch. Be good to yourself.

Eileen

edited because I'm not a great typist

Edited February 23, 2006 by etalanian (log)

[TarteTatin]

Amada for lunch today with clients.

OH, MY GOSH!

Delicious!

I've been following the thread (actually, from my search there are about 5 different threads), salivating, and it really is true!

We all had the $12.50 soup/sandwich or salad combo. What a deal!

Two of us had this outrageous Gazpacho with Cucumber and Saffron on top, served in a square glass bowl, very contemporary, with a side dish of fried cheese. (can't remember the name but it was delicious) The other two had a white bean and ham soup, also delicious.

Three of the group had a Spanish sandwich, I know I'm not being very descriptive, but it was a business meeting and I couldn't pay enough attention to what they had. It was with meats and beautiful looking; and served with a side of so tasty fries with a special sauce on top.

(Katie, can you help with the descriptions, please!)

I had a Salad with great arugula, frisee, avocado, fava beans (wish there were more), green beans, maybe asparagus there...huge and delicious.

We didn't have any of Katie's wonderful selection of indulgent libations (darn, why don't Americans have just one drink at lunch?)

The total check was $65 for 4, which isn't bad at all for lunch!

[TarteTatin]

Oh, Brett waited on us, Katie.

Sorry we missed you!

[mrbigjas]

We didn't have any of Katie's wonderful selection of indulgent libations (darn, why don't Americans have just one drink at lunch?)

some of us do, sometimes!

[KatieLoeb]

Oh, Brett waited on us, Katie.

Sorry we missed you!

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Sorry I missed you too. I took a rare day off to attend the Philadelphia Wine Festival.

Brett seems to always end up being the waiter whenever I have friends come in. He loves my friends so that's great.

The fried cheese with the gazpacho are Idiazabal croquettes. I think they'd make the world most amazing bar snack except it would be impossible to stop eating them until one made oneself sorry for overindulging. The sandwich your guests had is the Serrano Ham sandwich that also has grilled chorizo and grated parmesan cheese on it. You had the Ensalada Verde which is all of Chef Garces' favorite green things - avocado, haricot verte, asparagus, baby greens, fava beans, etc. It's a really nice salad.

On a completely separate note, the Bad Education cocktail has been changed to a Lychee Mojito for the summertime. A recipe from one of my fellow bartenders. Muy delicioso! Everyone should come in and try one soon. Quite refreshing!

[JohnL]

Last Friday I and three companions met at Amada for what was a very memorable meal.

First some background.

Our group consisted of a noted German Wine Maker, Vineyard owner (top flight Rieslings), an Attorney, enophile/gourmand and accomplished amateur chef from New Jersey, a well respected figure in the wine business here in New York, and me.

I offer this because it was the consensus of the group that Amada is a world class restaurant.

we ate a dozen or so appetizers and tapas as well as a few main dishes topped off by a suckling pig that was absolutely magnificent.

This pig was loaded with pork flavor juicy and accompanied by perfectly crisped skin.

It was simply the best any of us had ever had.

There wasn't a single misstep all night. From the Sangria--crisp, refreshing and flavorful to the deserts, everything was just perfect!

Many of the dishes we had are described in posts in this thread. One special was soft shell crabs--outside crispy (they were breaded) and dry inside an explosion of flavor and juices.

Octopus was very fine--on a par of the octopus I have had at Le Bernardin.

Cod was incredible the texture was satiny--the fish was cooked through--and buttery it was ethereal.

Squid in ink with a crab risotto was sublime.

And on and on and.....

The chef is focused. he has a very sound grasp of the Spanish idiom. His textures are dead on, sauces are sublime and in harmony with and in service of each main ingredient.

Ingredients are top quality. Presentations are well conceived without being overly fussy or distracting. Flavors are precise and sharply delineated. This is simply top notch cooking and execution.

A few thoughts.

The wine list is good--there are some interesting selections that would do well with the food. However, this restaurant deserves a reserve list. it may have one but as we brought our own wines we did not spend much time on wine lists.

There should be a better more varied selection of sherries and brandies etc. as well as some older wines. --I know this is PA and truth be told, the list here is pretty good as is.

The atmosphere--nice, fun, pleasant conducive to a good time. I believe because it (the decor) is not "serious" or overly dramatic--as in the temples of serious food--combined with the fact that the food is not "cutting edge" (there is little evidence of the current vogue of chemistry class cooking) people may tend to give Amada a short shrift or less than it is really due.

I would say that the consensus of our group is --Amada is probably the best Spanish restaurant on the East Coast (there is nothing close in New York) and may well be one of the finest restaurants in America.

Again, this is after one meal (as extensive as it was)--we are definitely going back (many times--I suspect).

The ride to and from Manhattan on AMTRAK is brief (and hour and a half) and pleasant. Throw in a brief stop at Holt's (for cigars) an after dinner walk around old town Philadelphia --and you have a really wonderful experience!

[Jeff L]

Last Friday I and three companions met at Amada for what was a very memorable meal.

First some background.

Our group consisted of a noted German Wine Maker, Vineyard owner (top flight Rieslings), an Attorney, enophile/gourmand and accomplished amateur chef from New Jersey, a well respected figure in the wine business here in New York, and me.

I offer this because it was the consensus of the group that Amada is a world class restaurant.

we ate a dozen or so appetizers and tapas as well as a few main dishes topped off by a suckling pig that was absolutely magnificent.

This pig was loaded with pork flavor juicy and accompanied by perfectly crisped skin.

It was simply the best any of us had ever had.

There wasn't a single misstep all night. From the Sangria--crisp, refreshing and flavorful to the deserts, everything was just perfect!

Many of the dishes we had are described in posts in this thread. One special was soft shell crabs--outside crispy (they were breaded) and dry inside an explosion of flavor and juices.

Octopus was very fine--on a par of the octopus I have had at Le Bernardin.

Cod was incredible the texture was satiny--the fish was cooked through--and buttery it was ethereal.

Squid in ink with a crab risotto was sublime.

And on and on and.....

The chef is focused. he has a very sound grasp of the Spanish idiom. His textures are dead on, sauces are sublime and in harmony with and in service of each main ingredient.

Ingredients are top quality. Presentations are well conceived without being overly fussy or distracting. Flavors are precise and sharply delineated. This is simply top notch cooking and execution.

A few thoughts.

The wine list is good--there are some interesting selections that would do well with the food. However, this restaurant deserves a reserve list. it may have one but as we brought our own wines we did not spend much time on wine lists.

There should be a better more varied selection of sherries and brandies etc. as well as some older wines. --I know this is PA and truth be told, the list here is pretty good as is.

The atmosphere--nice, fun, pleasant conducive to a good time. I believe because it (the decor) is not "serious" or overly dramatic--as in the temples of serious food--combined with the fact that the food is not "cutting edge" (there is little evidence of the current vogue of chemistry class cooking) people may tend to give Amada a short shrift or less than it is really due.

I would say that the consensus of our group is --Amada is probably the best Spanish restaurant on the East Coast  (there is nothing close in New York) and may well be one of the finest restaurants in America.

Again, this is after one meal (as extensive as it was)--we are definitely going back (many times--I suspect).

The ride to and from Manhattan on AMTRAK is brief (and hour and a half) and pleasant. Throw in a brief stop at Holt's (for cigars) an after dinner walk around old town Philadelphia --and you have a really wonderful experience!

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It's really nice to see a Philadelphia restaurant get high props from well travelled, experienced NY diners. You've undoubtedly read this thread and I think we all would agree with your review, esp that pig!

[KatieLoeb]

Last Friday I and three companions met at Amada for what was a very memorable meal.

First some background.

Our group consisted of a noted German Wine Maker, Vineyard owner (top flight Rieslings), an Attorney, enophile/gourmand and accomplished amateur chef from New Jersey, a well respected figure in the wine business here in New York, and me.

I offer this because it was the consensus of the group that Amada is a world class restaurant.

we ate a dozen or so appetizers and tapas as well as a few main dishes topped off by a suckling pig that was absolutely magnificent.

This pig was loaded with pork flavor juicy and accompanied by perfectly crisped skin.

It was simply the best any of us had ever had.

There wasn't a single misstep all night. From the Sangria--crisp, refreshing and flavorful to the deserts, everything was just perfect!

Many of the dishes we had are described in posts in this thread. One special was soft shell crabs--outside crispy (they were breaded) and dry inside an explosion of flavor and juices.

Octopus was very fine--on a par of the octopus I have had at Le Bernardin.

Cod was incredible the texture was satiny--the fish was cooked through--and buttery it was ethereal.

Squid in ink with a crab risotto was sublime.

And on and on and.....

The chef is focused. he has a very sound grasp of the Spanish idiom. His textures are dead on, sauces are sublime and in harmony with and in service of each main ingredient.

Ingredients are top quality. Presentations are well conceived without being overly fussy or distracting. Flavors are precise and sharply delineated. This is simply top notch cooking and execution.

A few thoughts.

The wine list is good--there are some interesting selections that would do well with the food. However, this restaurant deserves a reserve list. it may have one but as we brought our own wines we did not spend much time on wine lists.

There should be a better more varied selection of sherries and brandies etc. as well as some older wines. --I know this is PA and truth be told, the list here is pretty good as is.

The atmosphere--nice, fun, pleasant conducive to a good time. I believe because it (the decor) is not "serious" or overly dramatic--as in the temples of serious food--combined with the fact that the food is not "cutting edge" (there is little evidence of the current vogue of chemistry class cooking) people may tend to give Amada a short shrift or less than it is really due.

I would say that the consensus of our group is --Amada is probably the best Spanish restaurant on the East Coast  (there is nothing close in New York) and may well be one of the finest restaurants in America.

Again, this is after one meal (as extensive as it was)--we are definitely going back (many times--I suspect).

The ride to and from Manhattan on AMTRAK is brief (and hour and a half) and pleasant. Throw in a brief stop at Holt's (for cigars) an after dinner walk around old town Philadelphia --and you have a really wonderful experience!

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John:

I'm glad you and your guests enjoyed Amada. I'm sorry I wasn't in to meet you and your oenophilic dining companions! I would have enjoyed that very much.

The thinking about the reserve list is that since we want to have all the wines available by the glass, the higher end wines don't work that way since they might end up being opened too long and run the risk of being wasted. I agree that a separate by the bottle reserve list is a good idea and will mention it to the powers that be. I'm delighted you enjoyed the sangria - that's my recipe (which was featured in the June issue of Bon Appetit this month) so I'll take that as a compliment from you and your friends. Should you come in again during lunch, look for me behind the bar. I'd love to say hello.

As Jeff said, it's nice to hear some praise from the NY contingent once in a while. Philly is definitely not a second rate city as restaurants go.

[JohnL]

Katie

The sangria is just plain superb!

(I gotta get a copy of Bon Appetit!)

The service was excellent--the person who handled our wine did a wonderful job.

--we had three bottles of white and six reds (no we didn't finish them all)

including the 1994 Pesquera Janus Reserve (wow).

Our friend from Germany brought a wonderful riesling from his latest bottled vintage.

(we were all enchanted by your sangria!)

I did not know that all the wines are available by the glass--a good idea!

A special reserve list would be very good as well.

I also did not realize you are involved with the operations --you and the staff

deserve a lot of credit for a very nice operation.

Interestingly, I wonder what the reaction would be if the place removed the word tapas from the menu and offered the same food in a series of "tasting" menus and the decor was more dramatic and the service more solemn???

My point being --the fact that Amada is presenting itself as a "Tapas bar and restaurant" with a fun and lively atmosphere and service to match would cause some to overlook the fact that the food/cooking here is on a level with some of the finest restaurants anywhere--my group had a discussion about places like Per Se and Le Bernardin as well as some very fine three star restaurants in Europe sparked by the food we were eating at Amada.

Another point is the food is not overly creative or gimmicky nor does the chef employ a lot of foams and "food science"--just first rate ingredients and talent.

Amazingly, there was not a mis step the entire evening and everything worked.

I would also be curious to see if Amada can maintain such a high level over time--the line cooks here must be incredible and there is obviously very strong supervision in the kitchen as well as the front of the room.

Next visit

I will make sure I stop by and say hello!!!

[KatieLoeb]

Katie

The sangria is just plain superb!

(I gotta get a copy of Bon Appetit!)

The service was excellent--the person who handled our wine did a wonderful job.

--we had three bottles of white and six reds (no we didn't finish them all)

including the 1994 Pesquera Janus Reserve (wow).

Our friend from Germany brought a wonderful riesling from his latest bottled vintage.

(we were all enchanted by your sangria!)

I did not know that all the wines are available by the glass--a good idea!

A special reserve list would be very good as well.

I also did not realize you are involved with the operations --you and the staff

deserve a lot of credit for a very nice operation.

Interestingly, I wonder what the reaction would be if the place removed the word tapas from the menu and offered the same food in a series of "tasting" menus and the decor was more dramatic and the service more solemn???

My point being --the fact that Amada is presenting itself as a "Tapas bar and restaurant" with a fun and lively atmosphere and service to match would cause some to overlook the fact that the food/cooking here is on a level with some of the finest restaurants anywhere--my group had a discussion about places like Per Se and Le Bernardin as well as some very fine three star restaurants in Europe sparked by the food we were eating at Amada.

Another point is the food is not overly creative or gimmicky nor does the chef employ a lot of foams and "food science"--just first rate ingredients and talent.

Amazingly, there was not a mis step the entire evening and everything worked.

I would also be curious to see if Amada can maintain such a high level over time--the line cooks here must be incredible and there is obviously very strong supervision in the kitchen as well as the front of the room.

Next visit

I will make sure I stop by and say hello!!!

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John:

I was hired as a consultant prior to the opening of the restaurant in October 2005. I put together the beverage program (chose the initial wine list, created cocktail recipes and the sangria recipes, chose the draught and bottled beers, etc.) and also trained the staff on those products. There is now a very competent manager handling the ordering, maintenance and updating of the beverage program. I've been the lunchtime bartendress Monday-Fridays ever since Amada started serving lunch in January. But I am delighted that you were so impressed with the staff knowledge. Let's me know I did a good job when I hear compliments like that.

There actually are tasting menus available at different levels, for anyone that is interested in doing that. We do a tasting menu at lunch for $35/person. At dinner, the tasting menus start at $45/person. Next time you come in, inquire with your server or the manager about the tasting menus. It will give you a good tour of the menu for a value price compared to ordering all the same items a la carte.

I work with some truly wonderful and very professional folks that take their food and beverages very seriously, but not so seriously that they are too stuffy to let you have a good time. Tapas is meant to be relaxed dining, and I think we've managed to strike the proper balance between professionalism in products and service and friendliness to ensure an optimal dining experience.

Thanks so much for the props!!

[TarteTatin]

Lunch again today with clients at Amada.

Great.

This amazing Gazpacho/celery soup topped with saffron. Love that touch... With cheese thingies on the side. I had a Serrano Ham and Fig salad.

Sam had the salad with avocado, fava's and skirt steak on top.

We had a bottle of gorgeous dry white wine, Allela or similar?

Saw Katie!

Super time...

[I_call_the_duck]

Just came back from a delightful lunch at Amada. I haven't been back since Porkapalooza, and have been promising Katie for months that I was going to drop by. So since my boss is away, the Duck will play.

Since it was just myself, I ate at the bar, which gave me an opportunity to chat with Katie, something I don’t get to do often. I started off with the white sangria, which was perfect for this blistering hot pre-summer day.

I’m still a little tipsy (hee-hee), so please bear with me, and if I got anything wrong, Katie, please feel free to correct me.

There were tapas on the menu, but since tapas are a lot more fun the more people you have, I opted for the Catalan Express, which is a soup and a salad or a sandwich for $12.95. The trouble with Amada is that all the choices sounded delicious, and I had a hard time choosing, so I left myself pretty much to Katie’s mercy. The soup options were either gazpacho or (I believe) a white bean and Serrano ham stew. No brainer here. It’s 89 degrees outside. As tempting as that stew sounds, it’s way too hot. I’m used to a chunky gazpacho, but this one was pureed, and a beautiful reddish-orange color that reminded me of a romesco sauce. It was garnished with some chili threads (which looked like shrimp antennae) and chopped green onions. On the side were two little balls of fried idizabal cheese (as Katie explained, a smoked sheep’s milk cheese from Spain). The gazpacho was wonderfully refreshing with a pleasant tanginess, and the chili threads added a nice bite to the soup. Those cheese balls—oh my. Very addictive.

I usually steer towards sandwiches, but I followed Katie’s suggestion for the salad made with romaine, grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, homemade croutons, and a creamy garlicy sauce. The salad arrived beneath a soft cloud of grated cheese. The chicken, an entire breast (with a pesto-y sauce), was perfectly grilled. It was reminiscent of the pig we had--extremely moist, tender, and full of flavor. Hidden amongst the cheese and romaine was a slice of artichoke. This little slice did not have the acidic nature that most artichoke dishes have, but rather a sweet, slightly caramelized taste. Absolutely amazing. The dressing was creamy but light, and I’m still tasting the garlic.

Lunch was a great deal. The soup and fried cheese was just the right size for a starter, and salad was huge.

Jose Garces is extremely talented. I had the pleasure of meeting him, and he’s also a really sweet and humble guy.

The dining room looked to be about half full as word is getting around. They also put tables outside for those who like to dine alfresco.

Run, don’t walk to Amada for lunch.

Edited May 31, 2006 by I_call_the_duck (log)

[philadining]

I managed to find a parking space directly in front of Amada on Memorial Day, and --what? I'm supposed to disregard divine intervention like that? I don't think so...

A pitcher of the Red Sangria was really quite large, a little dangerous for two of us in the mid-afternoon! We were on our way to dinner shortly so we meant to just drink, but, having absolutely no self-control, we fell victim to the siren call of the tapas menu.

Croquettas de Bacalao

Very light and airy, with a great crunch, the mild salt-cod flavor was amped-up a bit by the dollop of caviar. The intense tomato sauce below provided a bright counterpoint. Not too fishy, not too salty, but still reminiscent of the sea. Really nice.

Amada's Empanada

This was transcendent... a surprisingly fluffy filling of spinach and manchego was surrounded by an amazingly flaky, tender, crispy wrapper (apparently from Grandma's own recipe.) As if that weren't enough, and it would be, a bed of marniated artichokes, peppers, onions and potatoes adds a bitey acidic note that balances the richness of the empanada perfectly. Among a list of amazing tapas, this one still stands-out.

We honestly had a long debate about blowing-off dinner plans and just staying there at Amada's bar all night. In the end, I'm glad we checked out Cantina El Caballito, but we could have been perfectly happy staying at Amada...

Edited May 30, 2006 by philadining (log)

[rlibkind]

Finally made it to Amada tonight prior to enjoying a hilarious production of "A Funny Thing . . . " at the Arden. Alas, She Who Must Be Obeyed was under the weather, so I was a single and sat at the bar.

Since I wanted to sample the broadest possible variety of what Amada offers I opted for the chef's tapas tasting menu and was not disappointed:

First I was brought the thin flatbread with tuna-oil dipping sauce. Soon appearing in front of me (along with that delightful red Sangria, Katie) were a tall glass filled with olives, a full plate of thinly sliced chorizo along with baguette slices, and a relish tray of caperberries, mustard and cornichons.

Next up, a refreshing cucumbery gazpacho and a mellow Basque blue brebis (I just love sheep cheese) served atop slim toasts and dainty tissue-paper thin slices of apple on the side.

Soon after a plate adorned with short ribs, horseradish, parmesan and bacon atop a round of soft flatbread and its accompanying melon with ham arrived, a steaming dish of clams with chorizo appeared, as if by magic. I breathed in the heady seaside salty vapors and proclaimed I should have ordered a beer rather than the sangria. Well, also as if by magic, a short half glass of Victory Pils made a non-apparitious appearance. (Great Sunday bar staff, Katie.) I gleefully sopped up every last bit of clam and chorizo sauce with baguette rounds.

The penultimate round of tapas included Patatas Bravas, Venison in Sour Cherry sauce and Garlic shrimp. The potatoes were roughly the size of Tater Tots and exuded the color of Velveeta. But don't let that description stop you from indulging in these babies. The venizon medallions -- spot-on rare, with the sour cheery sauce tweaked by little balls of onion -- was sublime. As for the shrimp, well, I sucked those babies dry.

The last course was simple and elegant: white asparagus dressed in a truffled cream sauce under a thin coat of manchego.

This was certainly a satisfying repast before going out to a show -- I was completely satisfied but not stuffed. Although I'm your basic Big Hungry Boy who likes to put alot down the gullet, I don't like to do so before a show or concert, so the tapas tasting was just perfect.

My only regret was not tasting every thing else on the menu. Next time, I'll order a la carte so I can try those bacala croquettes, fried anchovies, and all the other flatbread combinations. Something to look forward to!

[KatieLoeb]

Bob:

Glad my cohorts behind the bar were able to take such good care of you. Sorry I missed you, but I hope your next visit will be at lunchtime during the week so I can make sure you get to try some of the other dishes you missed on this trip.

[davidbdesilva]

Wife and I were in town late last night and hungry, so I says to myself, "self, who serves late dinner on a Sunday evening? Why Amada of course silly." So we place a quick call as we are traveling from South Philly to Olde City and they say they can seat us when we get there. Well at 9:30 it was still hopping! We were seated in a remote section that I did not know existed but was cozy and romantic.

Being hungry and as is our usual plan, we went 3 small plates and 2 large plates. Went with one of our favs, the crab stuffed peppers and then tried 2 new plates, the Montaditos (three large crostini, one with foie gras and pineapple which was like eating sweet butter, one with tuna, tomato and cilantro, and one with white anchovie, red pepper and olive spread, all delish) and the lobster (which was tender and delish but a little on the small side). For our large plates we went with our favs: the filet and the goat cheese stuffed lamb chops, both amazing in their own right. All this was accompanied by an excellent Ribera del Duoro (Tiberio, $43) that was out of this world good.

We actually ordered desserts, and two of them. The banana ice cream sandwiches and the lemon tart, both fantastic. With this I ordered a glass of Ximenez reserve sherry (Lustau?) which was like syrupy liquid sweetness, incredible. Another incredible meal from start to finish. And to top it all off we were served again by Brett, one of the friendliest, most knowledgeable and professional servers I've had the pleasure to dine with. Can you tell I like this place?

Edited June 13, 2006 by davidbdesilva (log)

[fischmart]

Had lunch at the bar again today...covered most of the lunch menu in my two visits. First rate food, service, and surroundings. Am looking forward to eating my way through the dinner menu soon.

[g_camper]

Took a friend to lunch who knows little of Spanish tapas, and he was pleasantly surprised with everything.

I particularly liked the Melon y jamon with the caramelized touch to the melon. The tuna was exceptional as well.

My friend seemed to like the chorizo and tortilla espanola particularly well.

We both loved everything - truth be known. Particularly, Katie's kind service, and her knowledge.

Great job, and since my first visit in early December, it has, if possible, gotten even better.

Garrotxa, carbrales, and manchego were wonderful with their accompaniments.

Thanks Katie, and we will be back.

CKP and STH next though (on your recommendation)

Glenn

Edited July 7, 2006 by g_camper (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Took a friend to lunch who knows little of Spanish tapas, and he was pleasantly surprised with everything.

I particularly liked the Melon y jamon with the caramelized touch to the melon.  The tuna was exceptional as well. 

My friend seemed to like the chorizo and tortilla espanola particularly well.

We both loved everything - truth be known.  Particularly, Katie's kind service, and her knowledge. 

Great job, and since my first visit in early December, it has, if possible, gotten even better.

Garrotxa, carbrales, and manchego were wonderful with their accompaniments.

Thanks Katie, and we will be back.

CKP and STH next though (on your recommendation) 

Glenn

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Glen:

You're much too kind, thank you. It was really my pleasure and you and your friend made my day. It's always a pleasure to have curious (and easily led) foodies in my bar.

Come back soon. I'm always happy to have good company.

[Dorine]

Thanks gentlemen. I'm so glad you both enjoyed it.  I certainly enjoyed working with the management and staff at Amada putting together the wine list, the specialty cocktails and sangrias and helping to train the staff so that the service would be well informed.  Jose is a perfectionist who made me work very hard, but the end result was definitely worth it.  I hope that the beverage program is a worthy compliment to the wonderful food and service that the restaurant offers.  It's a pleasure to be associated with it.

No one has tried the charcuterie yet and that may be one of my favorite aspects of the restaurant.  Freshly sliced to order authentic Spanish cured meats and cheeses with fantastic house made garnishes to accompany the cheese.  The fresh Queso de Cabra is a young soft spreadable goat's milk cheese that's just awesome with Roasted Garlic Dulce de Leche spread along with it.  So simple, yet so delicious.  I suspect the charcuterie will become a popular spot for the equivalent of a Spanish "Ploughman's lunch" as soon as word gets around that you can have some Serrano ham sliced to order with baguette and a short caña of beer.

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Authentic spanish cured meats???? Droooooool!!!! Does tis include chorizo de cantimpalos? Serran, a baguette and una caña? Oh, I'm having such an attack of homesickness for Spain! Where is amado located?

[Diann]

Authentic spanish cured meats????  Droooooool!!!!  Does tis include chorizo de cantimpalos?  Serran, a baguette and una caña?  Oh, I'm having such an attack of homesickness for Spain!  Where is amado located?

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2nd and Chestnut. www.amadarestaurant.com. Enjoy! I'm going there for my birthday tonight.

[Varmint]

I managed to sneak over to Amada for lunch recently, and had the most excellent bacala fritters, calamari cooked a la plancha, chorizo-pampalona and a glass each of red and white sangria. Needless to say, I wasn't all that productive at my conference that afternoon. I've since tried to recreate the white sangria, and although it was incredibly tasty, it fell a bit short of Katie's version.