Today, Mar 15, celebrity chef and James Beard Award winner, Jose Garces, opened the highly-anticipated Radnor outpost of his famed Amada brand at 555 E. Lancaster Ave.
Whereas an official ribbon cutting took place today at 10:45am, which will be followed by a private grand opening party, beginning tomorrow, Mar 16, the restaurant will be open for walk-ins, with this Friday marking the first official day for reservations.
“Our team has been working diligently to fine-tune the menu offerings to best take advantage of our new Mibrasa ovens, which allows us to include exciting wood-fired fare in addition to our traditional Spanish tapas offerings,” Garces said in a statement.
Named after his grandmother who ignited Garces’ love for the kitchen at a young age, Amada was Garces’ first solo venture, which won him the James Beard Award for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic.
The new location features 7,000 square feet of space for indoor and outdoor dining, with seating for an estimated 200+ guests, two outdoor patios, a private dining room for 45 people, and a newly renovated bar that will seat around 25.
What’s more, Amada Radnor boasts an expanded selection of Amada’s signature Spanish tapas such as Tortilla Española, Wagyu Brochettes, and Amada’s Empanadas, as well as a whole roasted suckling pig known as Cochinillo Asado and Paella Valenciana, or rabbit and chorizo paella. plus new dishes exclusive to Radnor developed for the on-site wood fired oven.
Meanwhile, the focal point of the beverage program will be a Gin Tonic Bar, with four composed Gin Tonics made with Fever Tree Tonic on the menu coming from the bar proper. However, there will also be a Gin Tonic cart, that has all of the garnishes and infused gins available, not to mention a “show” that coincides with it, in which guests are allowed to pick their own gin and garnishes, as they like, with the server creating it for them tableside.
The location borrows the key architectural details shared at the Atlantic City and Olde City locations. It is distinctly Spanish Colonial Revival (Arquitectura neocolonial española) design, but with a relaxed residential fit and finishes. We color the space with soft grey tones along with the cool blues and splashes of Sienna and Ochre found in the Spanish color palette. A guest would be greeted by hand-hewn doors and encaustic tiles framing the entrance. Wrought iron accents and lamps guide the visitor to the open-format restaurant with marble-topped bars and kitchen line. Stucco and exposed reclaimed wood, mix with the clean lines of modern Spanish-inspired walnut and wool furniture. The large bar delivers the classic Amada energy while the dining area looks out over the classic Spanish interior courtyard. The Radnor location has a larger private dining area, with a less swarthy and more feminine vibe, with a walkout to its own garden.
“This is, what feels like, a natural evolution for Amada,” said Garces. “We’ve worked really hard to capture the essence of what makes Amada Old City so special while also looking forward to the opportunity to present new and exciting offerings to our guests on the Main Line.”
This article was taken from press notes shared with What Now Philadelphia.
