Date Visited: January 20, 2023
Our first meal on Date Night A to Z was to Amore Italian Restaurant that opened last year on South Shepard near Richmond Avenue. Chef Alfredo Mojica and his wife, Christina, are co-owners of this delightful and intimate space. Chef Mojica trained under Tony Vallone at Grotto, then for 20 years at Da Marco under Marco Wiles.
We started our evening with Grilled Octopus served with leafy greens and a citrus sauce. The octopus was very well prepared with a great char while remaining tender. It was complemented by the citrus sauce.
From there we moved to our second course. Pam savored the Ravioli Ricotta, a delicious pasta with a ricotta spinach mixture inside. The delightfully tasty ravioli was cooked al dente and complemented by the truffle and reggiano cheese. Jeff enjoyed the Branzino Carpaccio that was served with pine nuts and arugula. The branzino was light and tender, brightened by lemon juice and olive oil. The addition of the pine nuts added a great shift in textures.
To round out our meal, we selected two great fish dishes. Jeff chose from the Truffle Menu – the Adriatic Sea Bass. It is served on a bed of charred corn with creme, then topped with black truffles and lobster. The sea bass was tender with just a hint of natural sweetness. Adding in the truffle made this dish a must try.
Pam chose the Branzino which is available roasted, grilled aquapazza or fried. Aquapazza is Italian for ‘crazy water’ and in Italian cuisine refers to poached white fish. The branzino was then grilled and topped with lemon, sea salt and evoo. It was perfectly prepared and moist on the inside. The use of lemon and olive oil brightened the flavors. It was a simple dish that let the star of the dish shine.
Finally, we finished with an interesting mignardise or amuse bouche – chocolate dipped grapes. A simple and light after dinner treat.
The meal was delicious, and we will return.
Other notes: They have a wood-burning pizza oven and a nice list of hand made gourmet and classic pizzas. The wine list is diverse with some nice selections. While they do allow outside bottles, the corkage is quite steep at $50 per bottle. Currently they do not have a full bar so it is wine and beer only.
Amore Italian Restaurant – 3310 S. Shepherd Drive, between W. Alabama and Richmond Avenue
Pam & Jeff Rate the Chef 