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Amali
Category: Restaurants Mediterranean Mediterranean [Edit]
115 E 60th St(between Park Ave & Lexington Ave)
New York, NY 10022
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
(212) 339-8363
- Nearest Transit:
-
59 St (4, 5, 6, 6X)
Lexington Av/59 St (N, Q, R)
Lexington Av/63 St (F)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 12 pm - 10:30 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
11 reviews for Amali
11 reviews in English
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Review from Bethany P.
New York, NY
3/29/2012
Honestly, this was a 5 star meal through and through. Who would have guessed that such a fabulous dining experience lay just a stone's throw from Bloomingdales?! It's an odd part of town for dining out but Amali is well worth the trip.
The interior is dimly lit and furnished with recycled, re-purposed wood - love it. There are even foam cushions under the table to keep you from bumping your knee when you cross your legs. Brilliant. Why haven't more people thought of this?!
Our service was perfect. Our waiter was attentive and funny.
We started with the ricotta crostini with peppers and vidalia onion. The ricotta was divine; so creamy, and the bread was perfectly toasted.
Next we had the winter squash with sage and balsamic. Who knew vegetables could be this phenomenal?! We were so blown away by everything from the texture of the squash to the flavor profile.
Amali brings in whole animals (grass fed naturally) and butchers them in house (responsibly using every part) so we knew we had to try the steak. I am not a steak girl and let me tell you. This steak was out of this world. It was the best I've had in years; surpassing even Peter Lugers. Yea. I said it.
We also ordered the house-made spaghetti with cured San Marzano tomatoes. It was perfection. The pasta melted in your mouth and the sauce had a wonderful kick to it.
I cannot wait to go back to this restaurant.Listed in: Date Night Destinations
Comment from James M. of Amali 4/3/2012
Thank you to all the recent reviewers for their kind words.… More » -
Review from S. L.
New York, NY
4/17/2012
Honestly, I'm on the fence about this one. I came here in mid-march and had a phenomenal dining experience. Everything from the delicious and unique harvest sangria to the atmosphere to the waiter service was top notch. At that time, I'd have given the restaurant 5 stars, hands down.
I went back to Amali on Saturday evening, April 14th however, and it was a totally different story. New chef? New management? I can't think of any other reason why my experience was so far from the prior one. I have to say, the restaurant was certainly accommodating. We made the appointment in advance because we were with someone who needed a quiet space, and they reserved a table for us in the garden area. It was certainly a beautiful place to eat beneath the skylight. From there, the experience was sub par for a restaurant I considered near perfect only weeks before.
Problem 1. Rather than sending the wine expert over (who was very helpful during my first dining experience), the waiter gave us wine suggestions that were pricey and, to our taste, not very good. During my initial experience, I liked that the wine expert asked us what we were looking for - flavor, body, price. This guy was definitely not concerned with anything except selling a more expensive bottle of wine.
Problem 2. They were out of the sangria. Ugh. 60% of the reason why I wanted to go back.
Problem 3. I was a little embarrassed that I had suggested this place for a family meal based on the fact that the food was superb, only to find out that both those who ordered the pasta w/ clams were served several undercooked clams.
Problem 4. I was really trying to vouch for this place throughout the meal, but then I had issues with my own dishes. Both my salad and my mushrooms (both which I had ordered and LOVED the first time I went) were a little crunchy - you know, too fresh from the garden? It didn't affect the entire dish, but i really expect a restaurant to wash their greens thoroughly. All it takes is a grain of sand in a dish to be really turned off from the rest of your meal. I didn't even finish my mushrooms because I was too scared to take another bite.
Problem 5. I recommended Amali to a coworker who went the night before me and had similar experiences. I was a little embarrassed about this too, and could only explain that it was so much better a month before.
So yea, all in all, I'm a little bummed. I was excited to have found a restaurant so close to my apartment that was charming, delicious and reasonably priced for the atmosphere and quality. To give them the benefit of the doubt, maybe they were frazzled because of the weekend. But in truth, the restaurant wasn't so packed that it should have affected the quality of the meal.Comment from James M. of Amali 4/24/2012
S.L. Thank you for taking the time to write a thoughtful… More » -
Review from Eva W.
4/13/2012
Blink and you'll miss this place. We definitely walked past it haha.
Warm, inviting atmosphere. The menu mentions that the tables were repurposed from a ceiling. Crazy! Service at times was pretty slow, and we had to look around a few times to get a waitress. They seem to be a bit short on staff..They say they buy whole animals and butcher on site, but I find it hard to imagine fitting a whole cow there for the steak...
Food was pretty good. Started off with the selection of salumi (guanciale, coppa crudo, lonza crudo). The guanciale was basically fat, but still delicious. I had the lamb, which was nicely prepared, but a bit plain with a lack of accompaniments aside from three chestnuts. Dining partner had the pasta special with pancetta..the cheesy smell was overpowering. Ended with a trio of gelato/sorbet - my favorite was the sorrel.
I like their values, so probably will be back in the future -
Review from Ed T.
Redwood City, CA
5/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Eggplant appetizer was outstanding (surprisingly spicy), lamb was just okay (porterhouse cut--not great).
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Review from Tracey A.
San Anselmo, CA
Everyone has their "remember where you were when..." moment and Amali will now forever be that to me, when I recall the moment my 17-year old son earned his foodie badge. I tried mightily to keep him away from the gateway drugs (fresh uni, pomegranate seeds, and anything local and organic) but the influence of Marin's farmer's markets, the ability to have Sol Food delivered directly to his high school, and his internship with a local winemaker proved to be tipping points. Then Amali went and pushed him over the edge and voila, a foodie was born.
The expression I saw in my son's face at the end of our meal was both blissed-out and very alive. He was sated by the multitude of food presentations and flavors, charmed by the owner who stopped by our table and complimented our choice of Winter Squash with Brown Butter, Sheep's Milk Ricotta, and 25-year old Aged Balsamic Vinegar ($12), and enchanted by our waitress who returned to our table after we'd ordered the "Kataifi Cannoli" (with Sheep's Milk Ricotta, Honeycomb, and Fennel Pollen) to tell us quite honestly that we should really get the "Marcona Almond Cake" with Blood Orange and Anise Gelato ($9).
Thankfully, that excellent waitress also offered a welcome suggestion on how best to enjoy the menu. A little of this, a little of that, select from the various categories, and share. Sharing is good. So we did just that and never even made our way to the "Meat & Fish" category.
For starters we shared our choice of three wonderful Salumi ($12) from a list of seven:
* Smoked Lonza with Hickory and Sea Salt
* Bresaola with Red Wine and Black Pepper
* Cold Smoked Pancetta with Juniper and Thyme
From there, we segued to our choice of four Crostini, splitting a single large delicious one three ways:
* Wilted Escarole Crostini with Garlic and Yukon Potatoes($9)
From the starters we selected an Artichoke with Grana Padano and Mint ($12) and found it the only less than stellar sampling of the evening. We moved onto the "Vegetables" section of the menu, where that previously mentioned Winter Squash blew us away. The owner stopped by to tell us that some critic somewhere (Food & Wine?) loved that dish and honestly, we did too. I was half a step away from ordering up a second round.
From the "Pasta" section we sampled Taccozette with Braised Lamb Shoulder Ragu, Chili Peppers, and Sheep's Milk Yogurt ($19) then moved onto that excellent Marcona Almond Cake. Naturally, we complemented all of this with an excellent red and finished with French Press Coffee ($14 for the table).
The subtle restaurant interior was designed by the firm that did Louis Vuitton's flagship stores in Manhattan and Paris. All materials are re-purposed and made by local craftsmen. Every animal comes into the kitchen whole and all parts are used. The owner, James Mallios, appears to be overseeing things closely and as such I'd like to give a shout out right to the source:
Mr. Mallios, we stumbled upon your beautiful restaurant and had an experience we will remember forever, when my son suddenly understood how a perfect mix of food, service, ambience, and dining partners comes together to create an enduring memory. Remarkable.Listed in: Who's Watchin' Who?
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Review from Lauren L.
3/27/2012
I went here for my birthday two weeks ago based on the wonderful selection of vegetarian options to choose from. The food was outstanding, but the front of the house could have been a little more friendly, as they were put off by my request to wait for a better table, since the one they had available was on top of the hostess stand. It was super crowded and I knew we'd be eating and drinking dinner for at least 2 hours, so I didn't want everyone who walked into the place to be on top of us. We basically waited a half an hour to be seated "at the best seat in the house" I was told, which was just next to it, albeit further from the front. At this point, I was starving, and just wanted to eat. I just don't appreciate being brushed off.
The food, however, was excellent. We tried a bunch of sharing plates, like the arahova feta, the winter squash (in an amazing brown butter sauce), three kinds of pasta (one with a unique lemon poppy dressing), and the fish special. There wasn't anything left on the plate. I would definitely go back since the food was outstanding, and the staff eventually grew more friendly when the restaurant became more empty. But I'd avoid the cocktails and stick to their decently priced wines by the glass. -
Review from Emily R.
2/16/2012
Tom picked Amali as our Valentine's Day spot, and while I was interested (love anything Mediterranean,) I was a little suspicious that I couldn't find many reviews online outside of Yelp (and only ~4 on yelp.) What's everyone waiting for??!?! Amali is absolutely delicious, the atmosphere is sophisticated and celeb-worthy (but it's on the Upper East, so celebrities like...Larry David. Not Blake Lively. But celebrities nonetheless) the service is great, and the decor is top-notch.
We started with the eggplant with tzatziki style yogurt and spicy dressing - so creamy, with a little bit of heat. Loved it. I had octopus for my entree (adventureous - again, trying to only eat fish, vegetables and fruit this month) - and it's turned me into a devotee. The texture wasn't scary at all - it was smooth, seasoned, and light. Tom was going absolutely ballistic over the lamb dish he had, which looked comparable to filet. Dirty martinis capped off an excellent meal.
Our server, Paul, was very knowledgeable and actually pretty funny. He was attentive but didn't overdo the banter. Definitely a perfect special occasion spot for a birthday, anniversary, or to bring family and clients. Approval all around! -
Review from Yuka Y.
Flushing, NY
12/2/2011
My boyfriend and I popped into Amali the other night and were expecting good food and nice ambiance. What we actually got was remarkable food and superb service. The craziest thing about Amali is that it's not even expensive. There are starters for as low as $7 and entrees for $15.
I definitely recommend the grilled octopus (so fresh, crispy and meaty) as a starter and the spaghetti (it's not like other spaghetti you've had before) and the lamb as main dishes.
More pics and details about the food and green features of the design: http://inhabitat.com/n... -
Review from I H.
Manhattan, NY
12/9/2011
Feels very downtown for the Upper East side at this intimate and cool spot. Loved the old Aston Martin b/w photos from the movie Phaedra on the walls. Food was excellent. Salumi, Octopus, Eggplant, Aged Steak, all top quality. Wine list was quite good by the bottle and glass. I'll be back. Good to know some new spots are opening uptown. Ask for Mindy Moore, she was very helpful. Enjoy!
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Review from Chris M.
Manhattan, NY
11/30/2011
Elegant menu and environment, extraordinarily attentive staff, and simple yet luxe decor, Amali is an absolutely sensual experience. Standouts include the artichoke crostini, the Taccozette (braised lamb shoulder ragout), steak, and grilled octopus. For dessert we had the chocolate torte and panacotta (with grapefruit and amaaazing honey), both of which positively delectable.
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Review from Stephen C.
New York, NY
12/13/2011
I am the fourth reviewer of Amali. The night of my reservation, I met the owner, chef and spoke to most of the staff; everything was spot on. I will recommend this restaurant and chef without hesitation. So, I expect someone out there to wonder, "why only four stars?" Well, first the price is very reasonable: opposite of expensive, affordable, a place you could eat in everyday. And, the menu is designed to be shared; after work, with friends or on that casual first date: the price and menu design give you a lot to choose from. Amali has a skylight room and private second floor dining room for gatherings and celebrations. There is a lot to be had here! Even the interior design is interesting. But, I could go on and on about why I liked it. If you have read this far then just go there to eat. And check out any of my other reviews and you will see, "Amali stands up and is heard in some very good company!"
Comment from James M. of Amali 2/24/2012
Stephen I write to thank you and the other reviewers on… More »
