Love is in the air! New York City’s Amali is the perfect restaurant spot to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a curated menu just for the occasion.
The Mediterranean spot, which is located on 115 East 60th Street, is highlighting some of its famous dishes just in time for the holiday occasion. Options for customers on Monday, February 14, include a tuna carpaccio with meyer lemon, avocado mousse, and mint. Additionally, there is a Lady and the Tramp style Spaghetti and Meatballs dish and Happy Valley Filet Mignon with creamed Bloomsdale spinach, Maitake mushrooms and Maine lobster as the ultimate surf & turf.
People will also get to indulge in the Red Velvet Chocolate Mousse with Morello cherry compote and Kirsch cream for dessert. These menu options will be offered a la carte and will be part of the Valentine’s Day only fixed price menu for $105 per person.
The notable spot, which is run by Civetta Hospitality partners James Mallios, Kylie Monagan, Michael Van Camp and Tanya Saxena, boasts a sustainable farm-to-table Mediterranean concept that focuses on Greek and Italian cuisine.
In February 2020, Mallios opened up about the inspiration behind the popular eatery.
“While we focus on Mediterranean cuisine, to me the food is not about cuisine or flavor profile per se. It is about the Greek philosophical concepts ‘katharo’ and ‘meraki,'” he explained to Medium at the time. “The highest compliment a Greek can give a culinary dish is to call it ‘katharo’ — meaning ‘clean.'”
Mallios noted that it is important to leave a lasting impression when it comes to their food and their presentation, adding, “It is hard to translate but think of it as a culinary Marie Kondo. An equally high compliment is ‘meraki’ which means the person put a part of themselves, their soul and their love and into their work.”
The restaurateur also recalled the journey that he went through for Amali to find success.
“The first summer at Amali in 2012 was hard. We were sustainable, had a wine list dominated by natural wines no one had heard of and almost exclusively vegetable appetizers. The Upper East Side did not know what to do with ideas that are common place today,” he shared. “During that difficult summer, I used to drive 2 to 3 times a week to Hunt’s Point at midnight to buy fish, vegetables and meat directly from the suppliers to save money because I refused to issue a capital call. In the process, I learned more about the food supply chain, quality and the real business of selling food than most chefs in New York City.”