Ever since
Harry’s Bar disappeared from the Venice Piazza (and apparently from the
Philippines), taking away my memories of their fantastic smoked salmon pasta in
vodka and cream, I’ve been desperate for a decent Italian place to spring up in
the area. Fortunately, Amici opened in McKinley Hill -- saving us pasta lovers
from having to leave the vicinity just to get our Italian fix!
(Digression: I’d like to think my opinions on Piazza restaurants are cursed, because all the places I hate end up closing down (except Harry’s and Empire Deli, which I both love). These places and their overpriced bland food were the objects of my wrath some time ago: Sweet Pea Restaurant, Carlo’s Pizza, Figaro and the incredibly disgusting Jap-OK. They are now kaput, nada, zip, missing, destroyed, removed from my sight after my ardent conspiracy with the universe, K Thanks Bye!)
Anyway, we always head over to Amici every time we are craving for a delicious carbo-load. Among the pasta dishes, the Linguine al Prosciutto e Tartufo (prosciutto and mushrooms in truffle oil) is an eternal favorite (topmost pic), perhaps because of the flavorful Italian ham and the excess of olive oil, which you’d want to mop up with your bread after. It’s a wonder how one of us always ends up ordering this, when there are lots of varieties to choose from. See the pictures below of the other pasta dishes I have tried!
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| Linguine Al Pesto Genovese, for the pesto addict. A little on the bland side though. I like my pesto VERY oily. |
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Ravioli di Spinaci Pasta, a must-try for cream-based pasta lovers
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| Fettucine Al Tartufo Classico, perfect for those craving for an earthy taste |
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| Spaghetti Al Pomodoro, for those who prefer good old tomato-and-basil enjoyment |
When eating here, I always enjoy going with a big group of friends so we can order appetizers and pizza to share. Among my favorites are the Mozzarella sticks in Pomodoro sauce and the Tutta Carne (all-meat) pizza. After indulging on these tasty starters, we demolish our individual pasta choices. Make sure you save room for dessert, as their gelato and cake selections will leave you wanting more. The Nocciola Gateau (hazelnut, cream cheese and dark chocolate) made me question myself why I’m not such a huge fan of dessert.
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| Arancini (fried risotto balls with meat and mozzarella) |
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| Mozzarella Fritto |
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| Tutta Carne |
You don’t need to wait for lunch or dinner to attack the place—when you’re in McKinley Hill and hopelessly longing for an Italian feast, or you just want to have some coffee and dessert, go to Amici. I’m looking forward for the Italian restaurants in Tuscany to open and spice up the competition, in which Amici is the only contender at the moment. I wonder how long they can stay in this solo spot when people have discovered other Italian dining choices in McKinley.
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| Pistaccio Cioccolato, PhP95 |
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their brewed coffee (PhP75) is aromatic and strong -- love it!
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| Nicciola Gateau (hazelnut, cream cheese, and dark chocolate) - PhP95 |
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| Tentazione (Belgian chocolate cake), PhP95 |
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