Sunday night we dined at Ama in Atlantic Highlands. We had heard good things about the food but after checking out the menu on-line we were still skeptical.
We munched on some delicious crusty bread (with olive oil for dipping) while we perused the menu. The Misto di Terra had us intrigued, and the BF Chef spied it sitting on the bar. It consisted of small tastes of cipollini onions steeped in balsamic vinegar, peas with pancetta, figs with honey and pignolis, asparagus, shaved artichokes, roasted endive, and eggplant caponata. Everything was really good except for the caponata which was outstanding. (The BF Chef said it was the best he ever had.)
I chose the Capesante con Burro di Salvia. The scallops were perfectly seared, the greens well seasoned, and the potatoes roasted to a perfect golden brown. The BF Chef ordered the Penna alla Aglio e Olio con Pomodoro. Ordering pasta is out of character for him, but he loved it. The penne was cooked al dente and perfectly sauced. The Pomodoro was full of big tomato flavor and the only remnants on his plate were the big chunks of garlic.
For dessert we opted for the gelato of the day, which was maple gelato with chunks of ginger snap. It was so fitting for the season and just enough for the two of us to split.
Ama will be added to the list of our go-to local restaurants.