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The early word on Marc Vetri's Amis
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The early word on Marc Vetri's Amis
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Yesterday, chef Marc Vetri was kind enough to to take Meal Ticket on a walkthrough of Am�s (a-MEES), the Roman trattoria he's hoping to open in mid-January at the corner of 13th and Waverly. Though the space is way ahead of schedule construction-wise, it isn't photo-ready yet � but we were able to glean some great details on the project from Vetri and chef Brad Spence.
The concept, which Felicia D posted about back in October, really came into focus after Vetri's last trip to The Eternal City. "When you go to Rome, you walk down these little streets," says the chef, "and they all have neighborhood trattorias. You know everyone in there. They all have the same menu." Spence, who'll be moving from Vetri's kitchen to run the show at Am�s, remembers noticing giant covered bowls of pasta sitting on empty tables at the various trattorie they visited. He soon realized why when Romans started flooding in and plopping down in seats � these restaurants have regulars who are so regular, their order's already cooked when they show up. This is the super-casual neighborhood vibe the chefs are shooting for with Am�s ("friends" in the Bergamasque dialect of Lombardy, where Vetri learned the ropes).
"I don't think this looks a lot like our other restaurants," says Vetri of the roughly 70-seat Am�s, which'll also feature outdoor seating. Inside, there'll be church-pew banquettes, stool seating at both the bar and open-kitchen butcher block, imported Italian light fixtures made from Campari bottles, exposed brick and Osteria-esque touches like a visible meat slicer and a vintage coffee machine. They'll serve seven a days a week � just dinner for the first three weeks or so, then lunch and brunch.
Serve what, you ask? As a general rule, Roman cuisine can be referred to as simple or straightforward, but Vetri and Spence feel such adjectives are limiting. Instead, think of it like this � you know those spirited multi-ingredient descriptions servers twist together like edible iambic pentameter when dropping your plate at a higher-end restaurant? This is going to be the exact opposite of that. Fried artichokes. Salumi. Turkey cutlets. Lamb sausage (housemade, of course). Bruschetta. Tagliata (steak on a bed of arugula). Tonnarelli (similar to spaghetti) in all manner of preparations. Hen saltimbocca, featuring the leg of a guinea hen deboned and pounded out � when you get it, it'll be like, "There's your hen," says Vetri. For dessert, housemade fruit tarts and crisps � "We're going to slice the pie, stick it on a plate and hand it to you." A dozen whites and a dozen reds, by the glass or bottle. Craft beers on tap.
"I'm more excited about this than I was about Osteria," says Vetri. "I'm going to eat here more than anybody."
Outdoor tables?! on 13th street? awesome. Can't wait to snack with Marc. On a hen.
[...] Mark Vetri’s Amis is set for a mid-January opening. Meal Ticket teases with some details. [Meal Ticket] [...]
How can we find out about the real opening date? dying to try it..
[...] Jo Buyske: How can we find out about the real opening date? dying to try it.. [...]
Jo: Am�s should be opening Jan. 18. Here are some pictures and more info.
[...] previous coverage of Am�s, check out our Dec. 3 feature and our Dec. 29 photo [...]
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