CHIC & SAUCY: Viva España at Amada

Chic & Saucy covers fine dining in Philly with an equal emphasis on food and flair

What do two foodies who want to relive their Spanish abroad experience do for fun?  Eat at Amada!

Few Penn students wander from the typical BYOB scene for their dining entertainment.  Yet, Amada is often touted as one of those rare exceptions that makes the cut. Why, you ask?  Because who doesn’t like tapas?  Their endearing size, their exotic quality, the endless variety… even saying the word “tapas” feels delicious on the tongue.

Amada, known primarily known for its authentic Andalucían tapas, is renowned chef and restaurateur Jose Garces’ flagship restaurant, opened in 2005.  Chef Garces is not only the 2008 winner of the Food Network’s show Iron Chef, but Garces has enjoyed massive success with his 15 other Latin-themed restaurants.

In addition to its sterling reputation, Mary and I were also drawn to Amada for a more personal reason.  After having lived a semester in Seville, Spain, Amada’s hanging jamón, Arabic accents, and sangria brought us back to Spanish reverie.  Coming to Amada, we were determined to find our favorite comida cotidiana (daily food).

Chatting in Spanish, and remarking hungrily at the tapas menu, we started with a glass of classic sangría tinto.  The spiced wine was perfectly fruity, with swimming apple and orange slices.

As a taste of Spain wouldn’t be complete without some lightly aged manchego, we ordered the sheep’s milk cheese.  It arrived accompanied with mini toasts, sliced granny smith apples, and truffled lavender honey.  Yes, you heard me: TRUFFLED LAVENDER HONEY.  All four parts combined, the textures and flavors created an array of ambrosia.  The buttery manchego and the tart apples were straight forward, but the honey was floral, bordering on woodsy, with a syrupy finish.

Next we had the pulpo a la gallega, classic Spanish octopus adorned with olive oil and paprika.  The dish was subtle and fleshy, not the usual rubbery texture that many dislike from octopus.

Next we had another Spanish classic: croquetas de bacalao.  The cod balls came atop a pool of tomato sauce and were topped with caviar.  Although the presentation was lovely, the croquetas unfortunately arrived tepid.

Next came the almejas con chorizo, clams in a saffron white wine sauce with Spanish sausage.  The understated clams paired well with the spicy chorizo and delicate broth.

I finished the meal with el made e hijo, pan seared chicken breast with salt-cured tuna, truffles, and topped with a single fried egg.  This dish delivered exquisitely on both flavor and aesthetic appeal, the artfully stacked creation seeming almost criminal to disturb.  The savory meat was juicy, its tenderness accentuated by the pungent mushrooms gooey egg yolk.

By and large, the Amada experience was true to its reputation- authentic Spanish food with gourmet accents.   So, come visit Amada or any of Garces’ Latin restaurants for a taste of España you won’t soon forget.

 -Raquel Macgregor