Nothing was going to stop us from our early dinner reservation at Amada, the restaurant owned and run by Chef Jose Garces (aka the newest Iron Chef and 2009 James Beard Award winner).Not only do we love Spanish tapas, but we knew that this restaurant was highly regarded.
So despite having our bellies full of ice cream (from Franklin Fountain) and our hearts racing from watching the Canada/USA Gold medal game, we hurried over to the restaurant for their first seating.
Philly has a great selection of beers that cannot be found in NYC. We're big fans of Founders Brewery, so we ordered the Founders Centennial IPA on draft (large, $5).
We also received this complimentary plate of large crispy tortilla chips with a meaty tuna spread. It was much better than a plain bread basket!
Cheese special ($8): Whenever someone mentions "sheep's milk cheese", we always respond, "Yes, please!" That day's cheese special was a mild Spanish sheep's milk cheese (lighter and less nuttier than a Manchego). Loved the apple tower and sweet fruit spread that came with the cheese!
Alcachofas Y Setas ($14): Spanish Flatbread of Artichoke, Wild Mushrooms, Black Truffle, and Manchego cheese.
This taste of heaven looks simple but bursts with fresh flavor. The earthiness of the mushrooms and black truffles with the saltiness of the cheese made for very fragrant, addictive bites!
Revuelto ($12): Eggs with Wild Mushrooms and Shrimp. This dish is a favorite plate of Top Chef's Jennifer Carroll and we could not agree with her more. The softly cooked eggs were light and fluffy while the mushrooms and shrimp made this tapas a bit more substantial.
Costillas de Ternera ($12): Beef short-ribs, Bacon, Parmesan cheese, and Horseradish. This Spanish flatbread was more sweet than heat, but with a balanced savory kick.
To end our wonderful meal, we were served this complimentary almond wafer. It was a nice, subtly sweet treat to perfectly cap off our dinner.
Amada Restaurant is located at 217-219 Chestnut St. in Philadelphia, PA.
No comments:
Post a Comment