Flour flurries around the counter as the freshly kneaded dough is pulled, rolled and stretched to perfection. The sauce is poured and spread in generous quantities followed by handfuls of cheese. The pizza paddle is dusted with flour, lifts the pizza and transports it into the brick oven. Two minutes pass, the paddle goes back into the oven and the pizza is rotated. A minute later, the paddle goes back in, lifts, and brings the steaming pizza to the serving dish. A swift move here and there, and the pizza is sliced beautifully and ready to be served.
Those that know me know that my number one take-to-a-desert-island item is a pizza. So imagine how I felt when I was given the opportunity to observe the process from a ball of dough to perfect golden slices for me to blissfully devour. It was love, a sentiment truly apt of the restaurant’s name. In Italian, Amami translates to “love me.” It is that precise sensation that makes its way into your heart from the moment you enter to the second you find yourself needing to leave. You’re greeted by friendly staff, and welcomed to the family for the duration of your stay. A truly personal atmosphere and with the dishes made to share with your loved ones (or in regular portions for you to enjoy on your own), this is a place you can call home.
Gone are the days of the just-add-water pasta, Pizzeria Amami makes their pasta in-house, from scratch, for you to enjoy. Nothing comes out of a box or a can. Your pizza, pasta and other dough-based food item consist of flour, eggs, and that’s all we can tell you. The food is healthy, cooked well, is never frozen and is prepared from fresh ingredients on a daily basis. When you order your meal, you’re guaranteed freshness and a mastery of flavor with every bite.
All of their staff members are Italian, from Florence to Sicily you get to experience the full spectrum of Italian flair. Borrowing from the flavors and methods they’ve each grown up with, every cook gives their own personal touch to your dish adding to the authenticity of it all. The cuisine remains standard Italian at its core, but the regional flavors of Italy appear subtly, giving you a chance to experience it all at once. Prepared with love, the food portrays that exact emotion as it shines through the essence of your meal.
You find yourself completely immersed into the culture of an actual Italian pizzeria. Simplicity of the dishes prepared for you is notable. As Mr. Franco Picco so eloquently put it, “good food doesn’t have to be difficult. People shouldn’t try to make it an art, into something that it isn’t.” Like the coliseum, Pizzeria Amami’s food is simple, with intricate layers of flavor. When asked why he opened an Italian restaurant in Kuwait, the owner, Mr. Ghazi Al Kazemi, simply stated “Kuwait has a huge gap in authentic Italian cuisine that needed to be filled.” With that, a slice of Italy was born in the heart of Kuwait. You can even go and practice speaking in Italian while you eat.
As for the food, there are no words to describe how the food was. Nothing can do it justice. From the perfection of the most basic of pizzas, to the most aromatic pasta I’ve encountered, and the fluffiest dessert I’ve devoured within minutes. The Pizza Margherita is a classic that has been elevated to the next level. The sauce used was created beautifully. Bursting with flavors, I’ve never had the pleasure to encounter such a delectable sauce. The piping hot pasta was the Chef’s special creation. It was layer after layer of white sauce, breadcrumbs, and fresh tagliatelle to soak it all up. With discreet hints of chili, this pasta was a masterpiece.
Dessert was the crème de la crème of the meal. How does one choose from an elegantly structured Tiramisu and a beautifully layered Crepe Cake? I didn’t. I simply dug in armed with nothing but a spoon. Upon biting into my first spoonful of Tiramisu, I was hooked. Fluffy, dreamy, and the seamless balance between mascarpone and coffee, the Tiramisu was everything I had hoped for and more. The Crepe Cake on the other hand – what’s not to love when you get layer upon layer of alternating crepe, cream and a Nutella topping? The meal was magical, and the dessert divine.
The food is just the way you like it. It weighs on your emotions without being too heavy. It is also budget friendly and caters to everyone’s needs. You’re given the liberty to choose between the options of meat, depending on your preference, with no fuss or hassle. They’re even working on a line of products that you can purchase, so you can recreate your very own Italian dishes at home. Once you pick out your pasta of choice, you can ask for advice on the type of sauce to go with it (or the other way around) and they can even give you pointers on how to execute it like a professional. A unique experience from start to finish, you’ll find yourself always coming back for more and therefore will familiarize yourself with the true meaning of Amami.
Immerse yourself in an authentic Italian atmosphere at Pizzeria Amami on the Mezzanine floor of Symphony Mall. For reservations, take-aways or information call the manager, Ms. Francesca Monacelli on 2577 0733, or follow them on Facebook: Pizzeria Amami, Salmiya, or Instagram @pizzeriaamami.
