Anniston, AL – A new restaurant, Amore, had its soft launch on Wednesday and the Calhoun Journal was invited to taste the food and experience the ambiance of the rooftop fine dining facility. Amore is a new concept to the area that the owner, Niko Ahmeti, and Chef de Cuisine, Malcolm Black, designed together; Amore is an Italian American & French inspired restaurant. Niko said, “I had a vision to bring something to Anniston that they didn’t have.” Chef Black stated, “I would like to build Amore to the level that we would be considered for a Michelin Star and/or a James Beard Award. I think that with the vision we have it is a real possibility.”
The formal fine dining experience begins as soon as you step off the elevator on the 11th floor of the 801 Noble Street address. You are welcomed by a warm glowing sign which simply states “Amore.” As you walk around the corner and enter the main dining area, the lighting is easy on the eyes and the background music was loud enough to be pleasant but not overpowering. The server immediately produced a wine list that was extensive. Niko stated later, “The wine list was carefully created with high-end selections. Each of the wines on our list will also pair with different food items on the menu.” As the server delivered our appetizer order, he returned with an amuse-bouche which consisted of balsamic-glazed seared peaches with salmon toro and imperial sauce. This “one bite” is served to prepare your taste buds for the rest of the meal experience. When the appetizer of fried ravioli was delivered to the table, there were six individual ravioli with the sauce in the center (to keep the ravioli crispy). The filling was a nice cheese and herb mixture, while the accompanying sauce was a marinara with parmesan cheese. As we finished our appetizer, the server returned to take our salad order. We chose the arugula and goat cheese crème brûlée. When the salad came to the table, it was presented to us in the center for each to have some. The salad came with arugula greens, peaches, crispy prosciutto, and a vanilla-Dijon vinaigrette on the side. The goat cheese crème brûlée was creamy and decadent, and the sugar coating was delicious, taking a traditional crème brûlée and giving it a unique new twist. The vinaigrette complemented all the different components of the salad.
When we were through with the salad course, the server returned to take our entrée order. Growing up in New York, I requested spaghetti and meatballs, and my partner ordered the roasted lamb chops. As we waited for our meal to be prepared, the owner, Niko, stopped by our table to talk. He was very interested in everyone’s opinions of the food that had been served to that point. We said that we had been pleased with everything so far, but I went on to say that the spaghetti and meatballs was going to be the test and told him where I grew up. Niko smiled and said, “Well spaghetti and meatballs in New York is going to be hard competition. Please let me know how your meal is when you are served.” The owner then moved throughout the room and interacted with each of the other diners. When the entrées were delivered to the table, the first thing that was noticed was the servings were generous but not outrageous.
The lamb was perfectly cooked to order at medium rare. The meat itself was very tender and flavorful and was allowed to rest prior to serving. The blackberry and Dijon sauce complemented the herb-crusted outer coating of the two double-bone chops that were presented. The edible flower provided a visual and textural addition and added another level of taste.
The spaghetti was perfectly cooked and served with a classic Italian red sauce (also known as gravy). The sauce contained a nice balance of herbs and spices without becoming bitter or sweet. The meatballs were a true rendition of the Italian meatballs I remembered in NYC. Medium in size, they were tender and moist, and the interior had the classic pillowy texture that provided a great mouthfeel experience. The meatballs also had balance with herbs and spices so that nothing overpowered another ingredient. Overall, if you’re from the Tri-State area, this brought me back home for a little while.
When we finished the entrée, our server returned to take our dessert order. We decided on the white chocolate and raspberry mousse. As we waited for our dessert, Chef Malcolm came out from the kitchen to interact with the diners in the restaurant. He was very approachable and asked each person how their meal was as well as about the service. He was at our table speaking to us when our dessert was brought. He remained while we tasted it so he could get an immediate response. I was able to immediately explain how good it was because it was not overly sweet. The mousse was very light and fluffy with a great texture. When the mousse was mixed with the candied raspberries, they blended into a new flavor altogether.
Being a fine dining restaurant, Amore does take time in serving each course, allowing the diner to enjoy everything in a comfortable manner without the feeling of being rushed. Chef Malcolm also said that on Friday and Saturday nights there will be a Chef Special that consists of a 34 oz Tomahawk Steak. “This USDA Prime steak can feed a family of four comfortably. Guests should always be sure to ask what the daily special is as it will change often.”
Niko Ahmeti has been in the professional restaurant industry for 10 years but said he started working in his family’s restaurants when he was younger. When he arrived in the United States, he proceeded to open two family restaurants in Mississippi and then moved to Kansas where he continued to open quality restaurants. He has now set his sights on Anniston and is excited to bring the next level of fine dining to the area.
Chef Black is a classically trained chef and has a lot of experience with authentic Italian dishes, many that he learned from his family. He has been a chef at the Anniston Country Club, Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, Moon Shine Birmingham at the Elyton Hotel, Cajun Steamer Bar and Grill in Hoover, Noona Steakhouse and Oyster Bar in Duluth, Ga., Doraku Sushi Kapolei in Atlanta, Ga., and many more creative and professional settings.
Amore will be serving lunch Tuesday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and then dinner service will begin until 9:00 p.m.; they remain open until 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Amore also has a full bar with an extensive wine inventory to meet every guest’s needs. The owner, Niko, stated, “I want this to be a place where people can have special occasions, dates, and special moments. We hope to get close to the community and share our love of food with everyone that would like to come to our rooftop restaurant.” Although Amore accepts walk-in customers, they would prefer people to make reservations. This allows them to prepare to provide the best possible services and keep people from waiting for open tables.
*For a full menu please visit Amore’s Facebook page.
