Eating Richmond Re-Visits Amici
Amici in Carytown has been serving up Northern Italian cuisine in Richmond since 1991. Recently, they had a very significant renovation, and in honor of their re-opening we decided to check it out. Participating in this venture were myself (Matt from the House of Marinara), Jason (RVA Foodie), Vanessa (Mommy Gourmet) and Veronica (Veronica’s Test Kitchen).
I had an impromptu (at least on my part) lunch with Rva Foodie , House of Marina and Mommy Gourmet. I thoroughly enjoyed my pollo limone. The chicken was tender, flawlessly browned, and had the ideal blend of tart and salty (it had capers) and was served over a bed of wilted spinach. I left most of the spinach on my plate which prompted RVAfoodie to ask me if I did not like wilted spinach. Of course I liked it (especially with fried rice) but vegetables are admittedly my least favorite part of any dish. Oh, and I thought the Amici folks did a fantastic job renovating the place. And I enjoyed talking food and food politics with the three of them!
We all met at Amici’s hungry and ready to eat. We were seated at the front of the restaurant overlooking Cary Street. It was bright and pleasant. Calamari was ordered for the table for all of us to share. For myself I ordered the roasted red pepper Panini. The calamari was really good. Lightly battered and tender, very wonderful. The panini was… okay. It just fell a little flat for me. Not bad, at all, just nothing I would rush to get again. However, it was served with fried zucchini. It really was more like zucchini fries, and they were wonderful.
It was a great time, however, it reinforced for me, how little I know about the Richmond scene on so many levels. Half the people and restaurants they talked about so freely, I was left with a perplexed look on my face and quite shrug. Sadly, I think I need to get out more. Happily this lunch was surely a step in the right direction!
I must say I am always a fan of dining al fresco, so I was not excited to see them get rid of the outside porch. The calamari we ordered was good- crispy flakey and not chewy. I prefer heavier seasoning but there is nothing to complain about what we had. I then ordered their pasta gorgonzola. It was rigatoni with creamy cheese and crushed walnuts. This dish stood up very well to what I consider the standard at Mama Zu.
Truth is that I don’t go out for a lot of Italian and when I do it is usually to one specific place. I would happily recommend this place but I can’t tell you when I am going back.
From Jason
I suggested Amici for lunch because they’ve spent so much time and money renovating their restaurant, it was time to support their effort and peek inside. To be honest, I’ve always thought their menu was out of my price range (and I don’t understand the primi, secondi, etc Italian courses that always seem mandatory and extravagant to me). Lunch at Amici, on the other hand, was reasonably priced and uncomplicated.
For me, the high point was the fries that come with Vanessa’s panini sandwich: they’re fried zucchini, a favorite food of mine. I had the soup/salad/focaccia combo. It was… meh. Simple lentil soup, hearty, but nothing to write home about, even with my dry focaccia chunks used as crackers. And I couldn’t figure out my delicate little Caesar salad, drowning in bottled-tasting dressing.
Despite slightly missing the mark with my order, I couldn’t help focusing on my company. I thought these people were into food. Our calamari appetizer just sat there in the middle of the table, leaving me to finish it off (tender, but not as good as Edo’s). The bread basket had 3-4 types of bread, butter, and yummy onion-spiked hummus. All for FREE! Again, I was the only one pigging out.
While keeping an eye on Veronica to see if any cupcakes or macarons might tumble out of her pockets or handbag, I noticed that she ate the meat off her plate and left the vegetables. I had to eat this woman’s spinach for her, and we barely know each other. Really good lightly sauteed spinach, too. And Vanessa? Mommy Gourmet took half of her vegetarian panini home in a doggy bag. Um, woof woof! I’m right here. At least Matt finished his cheesy noodles (that was gorgonzola? needed more sauce, imho). Would I go back? Sure. Maybe for a business lunch. The place is just a couple rungs on the ladder above my station in life. Or at least, it tries to be.
4 Responses “Eating Richmond Re-Visits Amici”
If I had known I was meeting you all at Amici’s, I would have brought some macarons.
While you looked a bit dogged after your end of the semester hullabaloo; i didn’t think you would ACTUALLY want my doggy bag. Woof, Woof.
Sounds like a good time. We should all get together at one of the fine West Point gourmet establishments, like the Pizza Hut or the Hardees.
My hangover rendered me extra dense, communication wise, and unable to appreciate what is probably a stunning renovation at Amici. People who like that new construction feel will love sitting in the window spots along Cary. Get it while it lasts.
The panini was my second choice and now it’s my first, since I didn’t get to try it – seriously, Vanessa, I was at capacity, or else I would have asked). Next time, I plan to take some of those zucchini fries and put them inside the sammich. Would that ruin the authenticity of the meal? Do any Italians work at Amici anymore? Peeling apart two halves of a panini is probably a rude gesture in any language.