Philly Restaurant Week: Amada

Restaurant week is a glorious time here in Philadelphia. It gives you an opportunity to sample the finest restaurants the city has to offer at a decent, prefixed price. Lunch starts at 20 dollars per person and dinner at 35 per person. Most include your choice of an appetizer, entree, and dessert. It’s a fantastic way to spend a date night and it’s currently going on here in Philly until February 1st. If you live here or have the chance to visit in the next few days, I’d highly recommend dining at as many places as you can.

Aged Manchego with Truffled Lavender Honey Cheese Board

We had the opportunity to dine at Amada on Friday night for the first time and it was amazing. Amada serves “authentic Spanish tapas based on the earthy Mediterranean flavors that have long been the passion and expertise of founder and executive chef, Jose Garces – but Chef Garces goes beyond tradition, interpreting centuries-old  tapas recipes.” That’s right, Iron Chef Garces. It was absolutely fantastic. I started off with a cocktail called the Matador that was made with ginger, Bourbon, and elderflower. It was probably one of my favorite cocktails I’ve had in the city.

Shrimp, Chorizo, Garbanzo Bean Purée Flatbread

The Breakdown

• For the prefixed menu you were able to select two appetizer sized tapas, a larger entree sized tapas, and a dessert. There were a total of four of us, so we each chose different things to maximize our sampling from the menu. It was a ton of food and we each left more than happy and full. The highlight of the meal for me was the Serrano Ham and Melon. The cantaloupe was perfectly candied and served with a micro green salad on top. It was the show stealer for me. We also enjoyed the Ham Croquettes and the Braised Beef Short ribs flatbread. I apologize that there are not more photos, but food was being served and dishes removed from our table at a rapid pace. For dessert we sampled the Arroz con Leche and the Crema Catalana (Spanish Custard, Pistachio, Pumpkin Semifreddo, and Cranberry).

The Review

• I was very happy with this dining experience. We all left satiated and happy with our selections. The highlight of the meal, like I pointed out, was the Serrano ham and Cantaloupe as well as the cocktail. We also sampled the Tinto Sangria (Spiced red wine, orange, apple, and cinnamon) that was very delicious. The Arroz con Leche was the only thing that I wouldn’t order again. All of our other tastings were fantastic and I look forward to a return visit soon. 

You still have a few more days to get out and try restaurants! Be sure to take advantage of the great deals if you are in close proximity to the city. We are trying Tequila’s for lunch, I’ll be sure to update you on our dining experience. Enjoy!