Excellent food in a comfortable atmosphere is what makes Amanda’s on Washington Street a Hoboken favorite since 1993. Eugene Flinn and his wife Joyce have owned the upscale restaurant for more than 10 years.
The three large dining rooms are romantic places with a homey ambiance. The interior designs are intimate and reassuring. My table, between a fireplace with pictures on the mantel and double glass doors leading out to a colorful garden on the back patio, made me feel I was dining in a beautiful and comfortable house in Cape May.
The artwork at Amanda’s was created by local artist Doug Auld. A portrait of Joyce and the Flinns’ two children resides on the wall near the main entrance, giving the restaurant a homier feel still.
The wait staff also adds to the Amanda’s experience. They are all simply dressed and have a wide range of knowledge about the menu and food in general. My waitress was able to explain the difference between two different mushrooms, and gave a well-informed background on the wines.
The food is contemporary American cuisine, and Chef Rodney Petersen has perfected a terrific menu, which changes often to accommodate what is best for the season. Every week, a couple of items are rearranged to keep the ingredients up to date.
"The focus of Amanda’s menu is on ingredients," Eugene Flinn said. "The menu is driven by the season, and what is fresh and available at that time."
On the menu when I went to Amanda’s were soft-shell crabs, which had just come into season recently and only last until the end of the summer. There is also plenty of other seasonal seafood. Ramps, an onion/scallion-like vegetable, are seasonal from March to May, and Petersen made sure to include the tasty vegetable on the menu while there was still time.
Flinn has added an early bird menu Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Dinner for two costs $25 (or $12.50 per person), and there is a choice of six house wines for $15 a bottle. The menu is limited, but there is still plenty to choose from.
"We wanted people to realize Amanda’s is more than a special occasion restaurant," Flinn said. "We wanted the customers to know that Amanda’s can be an ‘any time’ restaurant."
From wine to salmon
I started the meal with an order of Kara’s Vineyard 1998 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($8.50/glass, $34/bottle), one of two wine specials on the menu. Amanda’s has an extensive wine list. For an appetizer I tried the Filo wrapped shrimp with Thai slaw and soy vinaigrette ($11). The shrimp were large and fresh. There is no skimping at Amanda’s. Before I was blown away by the flavor, the smell piqued my taste buds sufficiently. I wished they had made this appetizer into an entrée.
I also tried the wine grower’s salad of arugula, sweet onion, spicy nuts and walnut vinaigrette ($7). It was a light salad, with heartiness added by way of the walnut vinaigrette.
Other appetizers included smoked trout salad with frisee, watercress and horseradish dressing ($8), creamy polenta with tomato Provencal and three-cheese sauce ($6), and seasonal soup ($6)
Before my entrée I was able to sample goat cheese and herb crusted lamb chops with baby vegetables and rosemary au jus ($29). These were juicy, tender and had incredible taste. I almost regretted not ordering the lamb chops, until my chosen entrée was placed in front of me and I realized it’s hard to go wrong no matter what you choose at Amanda’s.
I ordered the seared salmon with young garlic, spinach, jasmine rice and apple smoked bacon-leek vinaigrette ($18). The fish was cooked well, and the vinaigrette pulled the spinach and rice together.
I also tried the black bass with mustard greens, fennel, chorizo oil and tomato salad ($24). Again, the fish was well-prepared, and the vegetables and chorizo oil complemented the taste of the bass. Both entrees were big enough to be satisfying.
Amanda’s’ other entrees included roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, wild mushrooms, seasonal vegetables and natural jus ($18), and grilled prime sirloin with blue cheese potatoes and read wine sauce ($30).
For desert I tried the crème brulee and Chef Peterson’s cheesecake. Both came with fresh fruit on top. The brulee was delicious and creamy. The cheese cake was very filling. The chef was wise to name this one after himself.
Other desserts include chocolate mousse and key lime pie.
Amanda’s is located at 908 Washington St. in Hoboken. For information call (201) 798-0101 or visit www.amandasrestaurant.com. q