Amada, Philly's Authentic taste of Andalucia: Embracing the Spanish culture with cuisine

Amada Philly is a beautiful restaurant right near historical Philadelphia. They serve an “authentic taste of Andalucia”. Since having opened in 2005, Amada has embraced the rich Spanish culture with their cuisine.

We visited Amada for dinner time and had the pleasure of being given a window seat with a gorgeous view of the city…the small details at Amada amazed me as we had a candle that was lit on our table and added to the calm, serene energy at this spot…

OUR APPETIZERS:

Gambas Al Ajillo
Atun
Croquetas De Jamón
Dátiles Con Alemdras
Albóndigas

The Gambas Al Ajillo or Garlic Shrimp was one of my favorite starters at Amada. The shrimp was marinated so perfectley and the bread was an amazing touch to this dish…

All of the different flavors came together so well into one delicious plate. I especially enjoyed the bed of oils and seasoning that was used as a dip for this tasty starter. I’d really love to come back and get five more of these!!

The Atun was unlike anything I have ever tried before…it consisted of a garlic crisp bread and tuna dip that complimented each other amazingly. The bread chips were crisp and had a wonderful taste to them and the tuna dip created a smooth, sweet addition to the dish…Of course we had to get more of this to take home and enjoy it in our hotel later that night.

Pictured above are the Croquetas De Jamón and the Dátiles Con Almendras. Each one of these dishes was unique in flavor and texture. I had never in my life tasted something like this…the diversity in taste is refreshing, new, and exciting…

The Croquetas De Jámon consisted of Ham Croquettes laid in a bed of Romesco. They were crisp on the outside and had a smooth consistency internally. These are a very popular starter as croquettes are bite size and great to share with friends. They are a sociable food that encourages you to chat with those you love whilst snacking on a delicate, yet, delicious appetizer.

Dátiles Con Almendras: This intricate plate was truly something special for my taste buds…There’s not a correct way to explain how all these wonderful and strange flavors came together to create a magical medley in my mouth. To think Bacon wrapped Medjool dates, Almonds, and Cabrales could create something so unique was honestly an idea I admire from the chef. He put so many different pieces together to create a diverse platter that creates a different flavor in your mouth with every bite…I recommend getting this dish if you’d like to mouth “wow” every time you spoon another bit of this plate.

Our last appetizer was also very tasty. These Albóndigas, or lamb meatballs, were topped with shaved Manchego and Truffle. They bursted with flavor and were absolutely delightful. I especially enjoyed the red color the inside of these meatballs had…I added a vibrant sensation to the dish and made it even more beautiful and exciting to eat. I am in awe of how the chef is able to make such diverse and beautiful plates that each bring a new taste to the table. After visiting Amada, I can easily say that each dish has been a surprise and unlike anything I have tasted before…

THE MAIN COURSE:

That’s right…there’s more

Chorizo A La Planxa
Pernil Asado
Amada’s Empenadas

Before going to Amada’s, I had never properly tried Chorizo before but was pleasantly surprised with the taste of this plate. It consisted of three Paprika and Garlic Sausages. They had a certain spice to them that created a burst of flavor in each small bite…I did enjoy this plate as it was unique and was one of the only dishes that had some spice to it. Although it did not have a diverse mix of flavors, it did have an especially delicious seasoning that I enjoyed…

The Pernil Asado was something extraordinary…This large Roasted Pork Shoulder with White Beans, Arugula, and Orange was comlex with many components in the dish. This right here, was truly a work of art. The pork shoulder was cooked perfectly and had bits of very seasoned fat that contrasted the dense meat dish…I also enjoyed the beans which were not very seasoned on their own but made this plate feel put together and whole…

Amada’s Empenada was comprised of Spinach, Manchego, and Artichoke Escabeche. This vegetarian dish was entirely divine…I believe this was my favorite from the main courses we tried because it was a small dish, yet, packed so much flavor inside. The crisp outside contrasted with the creamy filling of cheese and spinach. It was a very colorful and well-rounded dish when it came to presentation and taste.

Save room for dessert!! Ours was delicate and sweet chocolate cream puffs with a side of coffee. This was a wonderful way to end our night at Amada. The cream puffs were filled with a silky chocolate cream and were topped with powdered sugar. Even though we were so full from the meals prior, of course we had to finish this delicious dessert.