Judging from the taste of the shrimp, the Adriatic Sea should be outside my window. There should be Italian locals dining around me. And I should be paying in Euros after my meal.
But I’m not in Italy. In fact, I’m far from it. Quite far, in fact. Have you been to New York’s Union Square recently? It’s perhaps the most American place in the Big Apple: rushed crowds, hot dog carts, a Trader Joe’s with a line that begins when you enter the store.
And yet, Amo sits here in the middle of that New York noise. It’s the kind of place that could be in Napoli, or Taormina. The kind of seafood restaurant that would be on the shores of Puglia, with beach clubs and Apulis nearby. You get the idea. I’m saying it’s authentic.
What makes it so authentic? I’m glad you asked. Well, it’s run by the Naples-born Rosario Procino, who is also the force behind Ribalta; the nearby Neapolitan pizza restaurant that is the de facto headquarters for Neapolitan residents and visitors in New York, which I wrote a recent love letter to for Appetito. Rosario took that penchant for expertly exporting Italian food and culture and turned it into a dynamic seafood restaurant.
Aside from my Italian native waiters (shoutout Carmelo, who comes from Bagheria, Sicily) as well as the decor and plates (all imported from Italy), there’s another special aspect.
Unlike many eateries around the city, no one is really importing seafood from Italy. Not only is it a pain in the... pocketbook, but it’s also extremely difficult logistically. But leave it to Rosario to somehow figure it all out.
Walk in and you’ll see a huge hook. It may seem like a cute decoration, but Amo actually means “hook” in Italian. It also means love, of course. Both are the effects the restaurant has on you. Here are four must-order items at Amo.
Fresh seafood
Served a’la carte, the seafood is the star here. I don’t have to tell you that the fish from the Adriatic just tastes better, even after they’re flown in from Italy and go through customs. And while all of the treats from the sea here are luscious, Italian dreams, the shrimp here are stars. According to Procino, the Red Shrimp are from Mazara Del Vallo, the tiny city on the western coast of Sicily. Subtly sweet and with a perfect texture, the worst part is they’ll ruin your normal shrimp cocktail for the rest of your eternal existence.
Granseola
Yes, you’re looking at spaghetti (squared, mind you) stuffed in a flavorful creamy tomato sauce. It’s warm and hearty, with huge chunks of Granseola spilling out. For those uninitiated, Granseola is the closest thing to a spider crab in Italy. Its name comes from the aforementioned Adriatic, caught on the Eastern Coast of mainland Italy.
Grigliata Mista
Fire up the grill. Another Amo dish where the seafood is the main character is this simple flame-cooked symphony where the flavor comes from the fish itself. In their Grigliata Mista, you not only have those Sicilian shrimp I’ve been talking about, but calamari and swordfish, both of which come from the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Sicily.
Cassata Cake
Bid adieu to your meal with a creamy Cassata Cake. It’s one worthy of any Italian cafe, which makes it a rarity here in New York City.
