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There were five
of them and it was almost too late to eat, but they knew they needed to, so
they did. They had been there before, many
times, but this time something felt a little different. There had been a
small shift, like a timid constant daring for a change, only it makes changes
so miniscule, they are almost imperceptible, just enough to ripple the surface
and make people think.
The change was
not in the service or the quality of ingredients. Amanda’s
has always been one of the most consistent restaurants in Hoboken, never
wavering from its high standards and the freshest, most seasonal ingredients.
Nor was it in
the décor. The dining rooms still felt like the formal dining rooms of homes you
might have been to. It remains timeless and comfortable, and just elevated
enough to feel excellence.
Maybe it was the
menu. Amanda’s does a few things very well, each dish may shift with the
seasons, but these items are to be anticipated on the menu. This evening, some
of those were indeed listed, but morphed to a recognizable unfamiliarity.
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As always, a
polenta starter is featured on the menu. This time it was the base for a spicy sausage ragu topped
with pretty mache and salty strands of parmesan. The polenta was creamy and
warm, as expected, but the ragu was multifaceted and distinct.
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The entrees too,
were in typical form— a tower of starch, vegetable and protein—but mixed up and
embellished. The flaky pink grilled salmon sat atop a thick slab of lobster
mashed potatoes, flanked by buttery green beans. A slight adjustment to the
potatoes inspired curiosity and resulted in creamy luxury.
Similarly the seabass precariously perched on a round of garlicky sautéed spinach and a quinoa risotto, played with the same model, but creativity came with the base. Instead of the classic risotto or even a grain, Amanda’s new vision offered an inventive twist.
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The duck dish,
complete with maple-roasted butternut squash, bacon lardons and wilted mustard
greens, read like an old dish but instead brought excitement. The maple surfaced
the earthy sweetness of the butternut squash, which accented the earthiness of
the dark greens. But the salt of the lardoons and the fattiness of the meat made
everything sparkle.
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Even dessert
brought something uncharacteristic to the table. A banana cake with caramel ice
cream felt like bananas fosters on the tongue, classic and simple but
recreated. And a butterscotch pudding, layered all the dreams of sweetness into
a perfect little package, presented in a jar. The chocolate molten cake is an
old standby, unbroken by new imaginings.
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Sometimes the
key to consistency is a kind of monotony and paucity of innovation. This
flatness was at times present at Amanda’s—not that the food wasn’t good, it
was, just predictable and safe. The new turns have created a more exciting
experience, while replicating the high standards and quality.
RER
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