Amada Radnor: Restaurant Review

Is Amada Radnor worth its pricey tab? Our food and wine editor ate her way through the menu.

by Michele Gargiulo, food and wine editor

Photos courtesy of Amada Radnor

Amada has been a sweetheart of Center City’s Latino dining scene since Chef Jose Garces opened it in 2005. Bringing Amada’s tapas-style menu to Wayne seems like a no-brainer. Amada is one of the only Spanish restaurants in the area, and Garces’s celebrity chef status guaranteed him a warm welcome on the Main Line. But does Amada Radnor hold up to its heralded chef’s reputation?

Walking into the lobby through the double doors, it is clear to see why so many restaurants have not been successful in this space. It is large, and oddly shaped. The bar is off to the right in the back, and the dining room to the left. Dark colors decorate the interior, offset by bright lights hanging from many areas. The mood was not as lively as I was expecting.

The maître d’ sat us promptly and engaged with us as we walked to the table. The dining room was not even half-full on this Monday night, although we had the much-coveted 7 p.m. time. Our server quickly offered us water, and I was delighted to see the sparkling selection came from Cuenca in Spain, keeping with the theme of the restaurant.

Our server, Matt, was professional and well-polished. His belt was in line with the buttons on his shirt, and his sleeves were carefully rolled up. We ordered our drinks while looking through the menu (an Ole Fashioned and Rose Gold), which arrived swiftly. The Ole Fashioned was delightful, a spiced riff on an Old Fashioned, and the Rose Gold was savory and tart, well-balanced with a dash of tropical sweetness.

We found the menu a little confusing. Charcuterie and cheese are listed first at the top of the menu, with traditional tapas and small plates listed second, followed by a section from the grill, large plates, paellas, and vegetables. We stumbled around the menu, picking one or two items from each area. We were still unsure if that was a good amount of food, or if we would be leaving hungry. Matt pointed out the chef’s tasting menu for $80 per person. Much more willing to trust the kitchen then play a guessing game, that is what we selected.

First to the table was a little plate of tuna dip with homemade crisps. Savory with some pops of salt from capers and acid from the vinegar spread on top, this was a tasty snack to munch while sipping our cocktails. Next came some aged jamón, and Manchego cheese. Truffled lavender honey and apple slices garnished the cheese plate, for which I could not be more thankful. The honey was earthy and floral, while the sweetness contrasted the saltiness of the cheese perfectly. A small plate of pickles, spicy mustard, and caper berries were also enjoyed. While simple, the accoutrements made this first course special.

A spiced lamb turnover, lamb meatballs, grilled chorizo, and a short rib flatbread hit the table next. The lamb turnover had a dash of heat to it, and the outside flaked in a satisfying way while the inside was soft and hearty. The sauce on the lamb meatballs stole the show, made with Manchego cheese, sherry and foie gras cream. Once the meatballs were eaten, I dipped everything else I could into that sauce. Truly a perfect combination of flavor and richness, it would not have mattered if the meatball itself was bland. (It wasn’t.)

The grilled chorizo was delicious, but I found myself looking for something to put on it as it was the first dish served without any accompaniment. Luckily, the meatball cheese sauce was there to help. The flatbread was lighter than I was expecting. The bacon jam added a hint of sweetness to the lush cheese and fall-apart-tender short rib.

With our first round of drinks gone, we ordered a couple of gin and tonics. The Spanish have elevated this simple drink to an art, with so many different flavors to play with, and Amada has done a great job of reiterating that. Four selections are suggested on the menu, with an added possibility of making your own.

The strawberry and mint won out in the end, although the orange and chocolate gin and tonic also caught my eye. The cocktails we tried here were well-balanced and fairly large. The bar team did an incredible job of making a diverse and interesting cocktail program. The wine list was simple (with around 65 options) but had a wonderful selection of Spanish wines to choose from, with a heavy emphasis on reds.

Our official entrees hit the table: seasonal wild mushrooms, grilled chicken, and roasted sea bream. At this point I was feeling full, and felt the tasting menu was absolutely the best way to have experienced this restaurant. The mushrooms were truffled and the lemon on top made them easy to love. I ate them until they were gone, although my stomach was protesting at this point.

The chicken was tasty, but unremarkable. There was plenty of sauce on the plate, and while it was good, it was not as good as the other two options on the table. The sea bream was as visually appealing as it tasted. The fish was charred on the outside, served with an arugula salad, orange, and thinly sliced red onion on top. The quinoa was layered inside of the fish, and the sauce on the plate (which I believe had anchovies) tied everything together.

Although already full to the point of being uncomfortable, (I blame my boyfriend who was not pulling his weight!) we decided to try two desserts. Rice pudding and chocolate ganache caught my eye, and they were in front of us in no time. The rice pudding had puffed rice on top, adding a textural twist to a classic dish that really brought out the flavor of the coffee caramel. The chocolate ganache, with a hard chocolate wafer on top, might have been my least favorite of the night.

Overall, Amada is an excellent addition to the Main Line food scene. While the prices lean on the higher side, it does seem to be on par with the local community. With small plates, it is easy to get your tab up in no time, so I would advocate for the tasting menu option. The atmosphere might be a little livelier on a weekend, but Monday nights are better if you are searching for a more intimate evening. But Amada Radnor is worth a visit any day of the week.

Amada Radnor, 555 E. Lancaster Ave., Wayne, (484) 429-2158.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Michele Gargiulo is a sommelier at Jean-George, the award-winning restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia. Previously, she was wine and beverage manager for Fearless Restaurants and its White Dog Cafes, Autograph Brasserie, Rosalie, Louie Louie and Moshulu. She is the author six books, including the bestselling Pairing Paws. and the new How To Build A Wine List.

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