Upon entry to Amen Street, I always feel welcomed and everyone else seems pleased to have me there as well. The bar echoes with laughter and sparkling discussion. Only a handful of people populate the high-ceilinged space on this chilly afternoon, but the warmth generated by the kitchen and the conversation fills the room. The air smells lightly of fried fish and boiling cream; she crab soup maybe? Soon after seating myself I am promptly waited upon at the bar and, this time, it’s just water for me. This afternoon I am observing, smelling, tasting if I’m lucky.
The goal of my visit was to photograph dishes for the upcoming Wine Dinner to be held on December 7th at Amen Street. The whole menu is really remarkable and each dish is so well constructed, both physically and gastrically, that the wines of each course are made to shine against them in a harmony of taste and sensation. So as not to disappoint, check out these little plates-of-heaven:
While taking photos and talking with head chef, Stephen Ollard, I watched the late afternoon melt into evening and felt the change of the dinner rush. The bar became slightly more crowded and the wait staff busied themselves with meeting, no, anticipating each need. This is the mood and color that a patron might expect of Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar on any given night, really.
My particular visit was on a Sunday afternoon in late November, on the very precipice of complete holiday pandemonium. My visit to Amen Street put me at ease and made me feel like relaxing and reflecting on holidays past as I prepared for the present season. I hope you get to see what I mean one day soon 😉
Cheers Friends!
Tara