Wharton Journal

Issue date: 10/16/06 Section: Insider

Amada is definitely the place to go when you want to impress your date. It's a hip tapas restaurant located in the heart of Old City (on Chestnut between 2nd and 3rd St.), which leaves you strategically located for a night of fun when your meal is over. The chic atmosphere, creative food and swanky bar lend themselves to a great time and good second-date potential. Ok, so I was actually there with my college roommate on a Monday night, but I have a good imagination.

We were struck by how bustling and crowded the restaurant was, even on a weeknight. It may not be easy to hear what your dining companion is saying, but at least you feel like you're at the center of the action. Amada boasted minimalist black and white modern décor, with small lanterns flickering on each table. Most notable, however, was the large iron pig statue that greeted us as we walked in the door. This is not your average restaurant.

In terms of atmosphere and food, this is the kind of place that thinks outside the box and puts a new twist on old ideas. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but it definitely makes for an entertaining dining experience that will not leave you bored.

One of the best things about Amada is that it exclusively serves small plates, so you can share and sample more dishes. The service was generally quick and efficient, and timed so that we would not have more than two plates on the table at once. We started with the Patatas Bravas, or spicy potatoes, which were basically high-class tater tots with a fancy sauce. Though it wasn't the most intriguing dish we tried all night, it was definitely the comfort food of Amada.

Next, our server brought out a warm flat bread with roasted duck and figs. Though the other flavors overwhelmed the duck, this was one of our favorites. The bread smelled and tasted like citrus, which was a neat twist, but what we really liked was that the fig made it sweet on one end, while the sauce made it salty on the other end.

The Escalivada - roasted vegetables and fresh goat cheese with toast - was tasty but much more mundane. Essentially, it consisted of goat cheese, a tomato-based sauce, and dipping toast. Though the toast was crisp to begin with, it became soggy as it soaked in the sauce, which made the dish difficult to eat. In addition, the sauce dominated the dish, overpowering the goat cheese. At lesser restaurants, the Escalivada may have left us satisfied, but it fell short of Amada's other creations.

Whenever I dine out, I make it a point to try the most "interesting" thing on the menu, because if they can do that well, they can usually do anything well. In Amada's case, that meant the fatty goose liver, or the foie gras as we say in classier circles. My accommodating former-roommate - who is not the biggest fan of consuming anything with the word liver in it, whether it's in French or not - thought that it was actually rather tasty. This was not the kind of foie gras that you spread, but rather the kind you cut into pieces. It was served with orange marmalade and French toast.

Now, under the right circumstances (i.e. kettle corn), a sweet-salty combination can provide much-needed balance. However, this was not one of those times. Though the foie gras itself was good, I was left feeling that French toast and liver just did not belong in the same restaurant, let alone the same plate.

The aged manchego cheese with truffled lavender honey, however, was the highlight of the meal. Manchego is a sheep's milk cheese that would be rather bland on its own, but the combination of its distinct flavor with the lavender-infused honey was sheer perfection. The thinly-sliced apples that went on top of the whole creation blended very well with the rest of the flavors.

Creative use of lavender also found its way into the desserts. The lavender Spanish custard was essentially crème brulee in a bigger, modern-looking bowl. Amada did this old standby well and we liked the creamy texture and flavor twist.

The sorbet list, however, was where the real action was. In one order, you can choose several scoops from a daily selection of unexpected and imaginative flavors. We sampled honey crème fraiche, spicy strawberry, and red sangria. The honey crème fraiche had a delightful and unexpected lemony kick. The spicy strawberry sorbet was not your average strawberry dessert - the strawberry hits you first and the spice second, creating an incredibly complex flavor combination not often found in a sorbet. My favorite, however, was the red sangria. It almost reminded me of the old-school strawberry fruit roll-ups that I used to eat in elementary school, except it was classier and all-grown-up.

I'm not used to being entertained by my food, but Amada does just that. It is one of the best restaurants I have tried since moving to Philly. Be prepared to spend a few bucks for the quality, however. Though most individual dishes cost under $10, you end up ordering a lot because they are all small. I assure you that it's worth it, though. And you deserve it, especially after that MGEC midterm!

So start saving up your financial aid money and get up the courage to ask out that hot girl in accounting class, or the cute guy you met at the Dental School social on Thursday night. You won't be sorry you did.

Amada

217-219 Chestnut St

Philadelphia, PA 19106

(215) 625-2450

Hours:

Mon-Wed 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-11pm

Thu-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-12am

Sat 5pm-12am

Sun 4pm-11pm

Cash and most major credit cards

Reservations strongly recommended

Appetizers: $6-12,

Main dishes: $12-19

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools