The perfect execution helped me understand why Indians visit Amma in large numbers. So, after so many disasters, was there to be any positive note other than the Mango Lassi, that is refreshing on a warm summer day? Surprisingly, the "Vizakhi shrimp Curry" (with mint, cilantro, and green chilli sauce) was exceptional! The dish spared no heat, and yet was tasteful in highlighting the coolness of mint and freshness of cilantro while contrasting it with the intense spiciness of the green chillies. While the creamy sauce was thick and perfectly executed, the patty of cottage cheese has got to be amongst the worst I've had in the city. The presentation of the dessert: Ras Malai was stellar, and gave me hopes of some redemption. No amount of the equally disappointing Raita could pair with it, or be a saving grace. The Chicken Biryani, listed with "pickling spices" was lackluster: bland and with clumpy rice. While, generally the idea is sound, as you need to minimize surface area that comes in contact with air to ensure it stays chewable, the quality was so depressing that I thought they were keeping the deficient product under wrap, literally. Amma is perhaps the only place I remember where they serve the Naan covered in a Napkin. The Naan was so disappointing that I was tempted to ask whether they indeed had a Tandoor, or whether they had Naan procured elsewhere but fried in the premises. The other popular item I tried was the "Karari Bhindi" (Crispy, tangy okra) which also featured some hollowed out okra that was neither crispy nor tangy. I found the mung bean salad as disappointing in texture and have inadequate spices or lemon/lime juice. The first example of this was the appetizer: crispy Spinach chaat, which featured more of salad mung bean salad and some fairly difficult to chew spinach leaves (unlike a superlative crispy spinach side at Malagueta in Queens). At Amma's I did not find that to be the case. Normally when you go to a restaurant and pick a dish that comes highly recommended in the reviews, and that has also made its way to a number of nearby tables, you can rest assured that it's worth the price. Given the food quality at Amma and the preponderance of Indians that believe in the virtue of value, I suspect the clientele is one that appreciates the fact that Amma has dishes that prominently spike the spice level.
It wasn't just due to a surprisingly large number of Spanish speaking clients (courtesy: UN?), but also present in large numbers were Indians. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of my two recent visits to Amma was the fact that it was packed to capacity. Customers that take time to come to Amma, find here, a setting that is is equal measure about food, setting and sensibilities.Yet another upscale Indian restaurant that is well past its prime. The chefs and front of the house staff, labor to ensure the shared vision of the team is never compromised.
One could easily fathom being in a lavish home whilst dining at Amma. A mother of two kids (daughter Anu and son Raju), she had learned early on that both food and a home were about much more than what meets the eye.Īt Amma, she has brought a team of professionals to assist her in sharing her vision of creating a unique space, manageable in size and able to give the feeling of a lavish private dining space. The colors for the walls, the fabrics for the chairs and banquettes as also the light fixtures, all reflect her desire to create a space that has the signature of a mother and a home. The recipes are based on what has been enjoyed in the kitchens of mothers, and are translated with respect for home cooking, and, made to work and compliment a restaurant environment.Īnju Sharma spent great time in collecting her thoughts about the ambience. It would be dishonest to say the food at Amma is cooked in the style of mothers from India. Amma celebrates mothers all over by remembering them by its name. To honor them, and to bring back an honest setting where food could be savored and celebrated, she thought of opening Amma (mother,in several of the Sub Continental languages). Memories of the foods she had eaten in the kitchens of her mother and that of her mother-in-law, remained fresh in her mind long after the demise of these two women. Owner, Anju Sharma, a New Yorker by the way of Old Delhi, wanted to share something Indian and yet new in New York City.