Amada- Phila

I have seriously been dying to try Jose Garces's tapas restaurant, Amada, for the longest time now. Having spent a semester studying (and mostly eating or taking siestas) in Spain, the bar's been set rather high. Reading the reviews on Yelp, I knew I had to get the crab-stuffed peppers that so many reviewers raved about. And trust me, I had every intention of ordering it but when the server made his way over to take my order, I had totally forgotten to do so. Oh well, I guess this means I'll have an excuse to revisit soon.

The waiter suggested that we order four or five tapas a person but I'd say three tapas each is more than enough unless you're absolutely starving (in that case, Amada is probably not a good choice).

Chips and Tuna Dip

This little snack was gratis (free) and therefore that much better. The chips were fresh and crunchy and the tuna dip was marvelous. It was really creamy and tasty.

 

Pulpo a La Gallega (Spanish Octopus)

I almost always order grilled octopus when it's offered on the menus of Spanish or Italian restaurants. The dish looks really spicy but trust me, it wasn't. Octopus is definitely one of those tricky foods that can easily overcook but if prepared properly, tastes great. The skin had just a slight crisp and the inside was meaty but not chewy. Even the slices of potato were cooked well.

Aged Manchego with Truffled Lavender Honey

Given that my dad is a beekeeper and bottles his own honey every year, I think I know my honey business inside and out. OK, just kidding, I'm not that much of an expert but I've definitely sampled a wide variety of honey in the past. More viscous than most, this lavender honey was thankfully not cloyingly sweet and the truffle was distinctly present. The flavor or scent of truffles is one that's hard to describe but easy to detect. As for the cheese, the crunchy manchego, though not overly sharp, paired well with the sweetness of the honey.

Datiles con Almendras- Bacon Wrapped Dates with Almonds and Cabrales
I highly recommend this tapa as it was easily my favorite (or second favorite) dish of the night. A perfectly toasted nut encased in a sweet date wrapped in a savory skin of bacon made for a perfect bite of sweet and salty. Then there's the cheese sauce that adds an element of richness, as well as moisture to offset the dryness of the meat. I wished all of the other tapas were this good.

 

Alcachofas y Setas- Artichoke, Wild Mushrooms, Black Truffles, Manchego Flatbread

Since when did pizzettes become a part of Spanish cuisine, I'm not entirely sure but they were offered on the menu so we sampled two. I naturally favored the shortribs flatbread pictured below because I'd choose meat over veggies any day of the week but this one wasn't bad. However, at $14 a pop, I was expecting something spectacular but that was sadly not the case. This flatbread in entirety was about the size of ONE regular slice of pizza. So with that in mind, I wouldn't recommend ordering any of the flatbreads unless you were looking for a tiny slice of overpriced pizza (call it what you will).

Costillas de Ternera- Beef Shortribs, Horseradish, Parmesan, Bacon Flatbread
As explained above, these flatbreads are good, but not great and definitely way overpriced. I will admit that the beef was extremely moist and flavorful not to mention tender and easy to eat. The crust is crisp and the flatbread wasn't greasy but these are all aspects that should come standard with any good pizza so I can't give these guys too much praise.

Albondigas- Lamb Meatballs, Shaved Manchego
Our waiter, in his NOT-so-infinite wisdom, suggested this dish to us and it was unfortunately a horrible choice. I found the sauce far too salty and my dinner guest didn't enjoy the meatballs too much. I don't really know how the Spanish preparation of meatballs differ from the Italian ways (if there's any difference at all) but they tasted like your average run of the mill meatballs. After nibbling on one of these, I had to send this selection back.

Crema Catalana- Vanila Custard, Caramel Veil, Ginger and Pine Nut
We ordered this dessert thinking it sounded and hopefully would taste similar to a creme brulee but such was not the case. I had just a tiny bite of this dessert as it was rather small to begin with but I wasn't a huge fan. The "veil" is a thin film of gelatin of sorts and the custard was similar in texture to a semifreddo. I'm unsure as to why the pine nuts were paired with this ginger sauce (or vice versa) but that's beyond me.

 

Lemon Torta- Blueberry Jam, Lemon Confit, Blueberry Swirl Ice Cream

The blueberry ice cream (hiding in the back to the right) was almost half melted by the time it was served. NOT COOL. Literally. I was expecting the cake itself to pack a little more tartness but it was definitely on the sweeter side. In terms of texture, the cake is neither airy nor dense, something in between. It wasn't a bad end to the entire meal but I'd certainly try a different dessert next time.

Ambiance: 4 out of 5

Service: 3.5 out of 5

Food: 3.5 out of 5

Verdict: Not that I was disappointed (OK, I was slightly disappointed) with Amada but for the prices they charge for these tapas, I was expecting far better.

http://www.amadarestaurant.com/menu.html

http://www.yelp.com/biz/amada-philadelphia

Cuchi Cuchi- Cambridge

If it's personality you want, it's personality you'll get. From the "bling-ed out" mermaid who welcomes you at the entrance to the beautiful stain glass windows lining the wall at the bar, down to the wait staff dressed in costume, Cuchi Cuchi bubbles over with character. The decor can be overwhelming to say the least, some may even venture to call it borderline gaudy, but that's what makes this establishment so much fun. Bringing together a medley of fares from around the world (Russia, Guatemala, Spain, Italy, France, you name it!), Cuchi Cuchi embodies international cuisine in the form of easy-to-share "small plates." Our waiter, dressed as a Flamenco dancer, was very knowledgeable about the menu and we asked him to serve up the dishes at his digression.

Chicken Liver Pate

The pate was really rich and dense. My dinner date said it tasted like hummus. Haha, I can't say I agree with that statement. The fruits and syrupy sauce do a wonderful job at masking some of the gaminess of the liver. But between the two of us, this block of pate was far too much to stomach in its entirety. On a side note, there is something odd about the placement of the pepinillo (small pickle) that sticks out awkwardly and throws off the presentation of this otherwise beautiful dish.

Brie en Croute

Everybody who comes here must absolutely try this ball of heaven. That's not a suggestion, that's a command, and trust me, you'll thank me later. Encased in a light and crispy pastry shell is brie, walnuts and bacon. There is nothing I would change or criticize about this dish. It was served extremely hot and fresh and when you cut into the ball, the melted brie just overflows. The apple slices on the side perfectly complement the salty bacon and cheese, giving it that punch of tartness.

Duck a l'Orange Crepes

Whenever I think crepes, I think desserts and sweets. This is my first savory (and by savory, I mean salty) crepe. I was so busy scarfing down the brie puff that when I got around to finally eating the crepes, they were a little soggy from the citrus dressing. However, it was still delicious. The meat inside was tender and the light vinaigrette was refreshing without being overly citric. The minced fennel imparts a bit of crunch to the texture of the dish.

Grilled Eggplant Napoleon

Sandwiched between the layers of eggplant, the sour slices of tomato do a great job at cutting through some of richness of the dish. The goat cheese is extremely smooth and creamy. The grilling of the eggplants gives it that charred, crispy outer edge but the eggplant is nonetheless, still very soft and moist in the center. Although it added nothing in terms of flavor, I love the whimsicality of the fried leaf sticking out of the cheese on top.

Chicken Kiev

This is easily my dinner date's favorite dish (perhaps because it's the most normal and he's all about simplicity). The fried chicken breast is stuffed with a melange of herbs and diced mushrooms, and sits in a bath of melted butter. Talk about a heart attack waiting to happen. Although the chicken breast is deep fried, it maintains a great deal of moisture and is very juicy as well as flavorful. Likewise, the stuffing was tasty and seasoned well.

This picture doesn't do the place justice but everything about Cuchi Cuchi is over the top and glitzy.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/cuchi-cuchi-cambridge