Amarena

151 E 82nd St New York, NY 10028

Amarena sits on the Upper East Side with the kind of quiet confidence that only comes from knowing exactly what it is: a proper Italian restaurant where dinner is still treated like a civilized ritual. It’s a grown up place, and that’s a good thing. The room glows horribly (LED lighting dowsnstairs in the main dining room for god knows what reason) but with classical touches like linen tablecloths, and that peaceful New York serenity of people lingering over wine instead of rushing off to the next thing.

The food wastes no time on theatrics. Antipasti arrive clean and assured, beautiful bread, good olive oil, seafood that tastes unmistakably of the sea, and vegetables handled with the sort of curation that suggests the kitchen knows when to say when.

We ordered the Campanelle Alla Vodka with Lobster. What makes it notable is that this is a dish you might find at one of the 50 surrounding Italian haunts in this part of town — but it’s different. They have taken the art of a cream red sauce and elevated it, conceptualized it, edified it, in a whole new way. The flavor sticks, allows for some kick without being spicy. Palette profile that amplifies the (extremely fresh) lobster without overtaking it. Pasta cooked to perfection…honestly one of the best of it’s kind.