“With a focus on authentic- ity, friendly service, customer
satisfaction, and with carefully measured growth, Amici’s has become the standard for high- quality, freshly made pizzas, pastas, and salads.”
next was my personal favorite; the Gnocchi with Pesto. If you’ve ever attempted to make gnocchi, you know how easy it can be to turn the little nuggets into a over-worked, chewy lump, if you’re not careful. Happily, this was not the case with these little jewels, pan-seared to a crusty perfection, but as light as can be on the inside, all slathered in fresh pesto, Parme- san and butter. Did you ever want to go to war over a delectable dish on the table, growling a “that’s mine” warning while glaring at your fellow diners? Well, that’s certainly what I wanted to do. Salads came next and the first to appear was the
Artichoke Panzanella, “a classic Tuscan bread salad” consisting of crusty bread bits, artichoke hearts, cu- cumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, romaine, basil and capers, lightly bathed in a red wine vinaigrette —a delicious bread and salad course all on one plate. The Spinach Salad followed and was perfectly balanced by the restaurant’s yummy lemon basil vinaigrette, heaped with roasted red peppers, red onion, tomato, bacon, toasted pine nuts and some of the tastiest feta I’ve had. It was time to taste the restaurant’s namesake, their
New York-style pizzas. Don’t come to Amici’s looking for a thick doughy crust, my friends, you won’t find it here. Their crusts are decidedly thin, deliciously crisp and just a bit of a chew, all baked in their traditional Italian brick ovens at over 700 degrees. We started with the Spicy Pepper Chicken, a lovely combination of sliced chicken breast, roasted red peppers, cara- melized onions, cilantro, oregano and hot red pepper flakes—sans a red tomato sauce. Light and tasty with just a little hint of hot, just the way I like it. We also ordered a custom “meat pie,” as a sauce comparison, topped with pepperoni, hot Italian sausage, pancetta and their signature red base. I’ll tell you this, the crust was perfectly consistent, the sauce delicious, though a bit more would have made it perfect, and the pep- peroni, sausage and in particular, the pancetta, made this pie a meat-lover’s dream. That closed our sampling for the day, with one no-
table exception: their New York Style Cheesecake. I’m not a big dessert indulger, but, this is the one
seven days a week beginning at 11 a.m.. Their brunch menu begins Saturday and Sundays at 10 a.m. and features “sparkling specials” with Gloria Ferrer Cham- pagne, breakfast sandwiches and special brunch pizzas with or without egg. The beer and wine selections are broad enough
to satisfy most palettes, with decent selections in a wide range of categories and the many beer offer- ings available, feature local brews as well as national selections. The interior of the restaurant is comfortable with a
sweet item that I will make an exception for, especial- ly when it’s well done. And, my friends, this is a really good one. The creamy-centered, baked to perfection slice was rich, not heavy, with a slight lemony edge to it, leaving me to once again growl at my dining companion and grudgingly allowing him a taste. All in all, I arrived empty, and left with a full stomach and happy tastebuds. Amici’s offers a full lunch and dinner menu, includ-
ing seven appetizers, six signature salads, over 30 pasta dishes and pizzas and daily specials served
wonderfully open vibe. Large moving windows allow for diners to have an “inside/outside” experience. If your tastes run to a more out-of-doors feel, patio seating is a wonderful option. Perfect for hanging out on Saturday and Sunday mornings, with friends and a sunny mimosa (or three), great food and conversation.
One of their best features: Amici’s is always avail- able for pick-up, as well as delivery.
Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria is located in Hillcrest at 3958 Fifth Avenue, with a second location in La Jolla at 811 Prospect Avenue. For more information or to order take out and delivery call 619.260.1111 for Hillcrest and 858.729.9988 in La Jolla, or go to
amicis.com.
JULY 2014 | RAGE monthly 69
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