Ame

I wanted to try Ame for a bit now. My husband and I were going to be in the city for a show, and Ame seemed like a good choice. It must have been destiny because this place is going to be closing at the end of February, so I am glad that it was the place we chose. When we arrived, we were immediately seated to a nice table. The restaurant is not that big, but it has a dark, calm ambience to it. Even with other people at the surrounding tables, it didn’t seem loud. Our waiter was very nice, prompt, and attentive. To start, we had the ceviche which was delicious. It’s not very much, but each bite had a great combination of flavors. Then, I had the Alaskan black cod with shrimp dumplings in broth. My husband had the steak with fingerling potatoes and bone marrow. My plate was enjoyable, but nothing shouted out to me. My husband’s plate was very good though. He let me have some of everything and it was so good. I am a sucker for bone marrow, so that was a nice treat. After entrees, we got the cheese plate, which came with three cheeses — a blue cheese, a dry cheese (that’s name escapes me), and a goat cheese. All of them were really good, but I was saving some room for dessert. Dessert was a molten lava bread pudding with caramel popcorn ice cream. It was ok. I love bread pudding, but not crazy about molten lava cakes. So, I enjoyed the bread pudding portion, but ate around the molten lava. Overall, the meal was good, but not the best that I have had in the city. Nonetheless, I am glad I was able to experience this before it closes.

Ok and creative food as a Micheline one star restaurant. Service is good.
The only issue is that the food is not memorable at all. I looked the pictures again half years later and then cannot recognize where it was at all.

Lovely vibe, it’s cozy yet just the right amount if privacy. The tasting menu was delicious and fresh, but would not say it was anything too special. Maybe next time we’ll order more of their main specialty dishes.

Food was similar to Terra but in larger portions.
Service was incompentent, every single dish had issues:
1. brought bread but no butter — had to ask
2. brought chawan mushi but no spoon — had to ask– also too much dashi, made it really salty.
3. Meat undercooked. asked for medium but got rare — had to ask to have the meat taken back for more cooking
4. sorbet, mixed the order gave my order to my partner and his to me. waiter also had no idea what each of the sorbet flavors were, pointed at a red sorbet (clearly rasberry) said its strawberry. Pointed at a lighter beige and said its vanilla (do they even make vanilla sorbet?)
Order issues: we tried to order fried apple turnovers, waiter said he thinks only one left so he had to check. which we then saw there was a whole tray of them prepared.
Menu issues: things on the menu online were not offered in restaurant, i.e. taste of sashimi bar, etc. very confusing.
Bill was $ 230ish not counting tip, wouldn’t recommend nor would i come back here again. Service at Terra was so much better.
Sorry for the harsh comment, but i really didn’t think my experience was worth the price/​time.

So delicious!
I came here with a group of friends to celebrate a
was a bit out of my price range, but since birthday boy’s partner wanted to treat… who am I to judge? =) We had a ton of appetizers to share, and each had entrees… and desserts. Much like any other fancy restaurant in SF, the portions aren’t huge. But. It was surprisingly filling. Maybe its because we loaded up on the appetizers.
Squid «Noodles» — Really good, just a bit of chew on the squid. Really nicely flavored, and the quail egg gave it just enough fattiness.
Fried Oysters in Dashi — save any bread you have to sop up this dashi. Or. Just drink the dashi. The oysters were fine, but that dashi is like magic.
Butternut Squash soup — It was a little too sweet for me, but I’m pretty sure that’s just butternut squash in general. Its not my favorite squash. But the soup is really creamy and delicious.
Gnocchi with Abalone — PILLOWS. These gnocchi were PILLOWS OF FLUFFY GOODNESS! I love great gnocchi. The abalone wasn’t overly plentiful, but it was enough to go with the gnocchi.
Chawan-​Mushi — If you get nothing else from the appetizers, get the Chawan Mushi. It was soooo good. The egg was perfectly done, just holding together, and sooo seafoody. I dream of this dish. Still. I dream of it.
Salmon Fish of the Day — Very nicely done. The skin was a little crispy, and it came with this delicious bacon chunk. Everything on the plate was super well balanced, and I basically did all but lick the plate clean. I mean. Class.
Steak and Marrow — I didn’t get a bite of the marrow, but I had a slice of the steak and it was really nicely done.
Duck — also had a slice of the duck, which was very nicely made. The skin-​fat ratio wasn’t quite as rendered as I’d like, but the duck itself was made really nicely with just a tinge of pink-​ish in the center.
Bread Pudding — very good, caramalize-​y.
Panna Cotta — was just okay. I kind of like a firmer panna cotta though, so I’m biased.
Fried Apple Turnover: If nothing else, get this for dessert. I have no idea why all apple turnovers aren’t fried. Think. Fried apple cake meets churro. Omg… so delicious.
Overall, If you want the perfect meal, I’d go with the Chawan-​Mushi, any of their fish (they do fish SO well), and the apple turnover. I’d die happy if that was my last meal.

I thought Ame was good, but nothing compared to Terra based on their menu food and wine selection (I don’t like gnocchi, and some of my favorite things at Terra were their pastas). I would definitely return to taste other things if they rotate the menu. Overall, a delicious and solid meal with some of the most top notch service I’ve ever experienced in my life.
* Complimentary Rolls — 4 stars: Crusty and fresh.
* Uni Chawanmushi — 5 stars: ZOMG. Just order 3 of these and call it a night.
* Sea Bass Special — 4 stars: Really delicious, flaky, buttery sea bass cooked to perfection.
* Wine: Ordered two bottles of Chardonnay and didn’t find anything I fell in love with, but I appreciated that they offered reasonably priced bottles (~$ 60 for the lowest priced bottles)
TLDR: Come to Ame immediately and order 2 chawanmushis!

Sometimes Friendsgiving doesn’t have to involve a lot of messy dishes and clean up. Sometimes, we leave these things to the professionals. A group of gal pals and I decided to forgo the stress of holiday cooking and spend some QT together at Ame after looking at the recently released Michelin 2016 list. Three out of the four of us had yet to come here, and needless to say, we felt pretty good in knowing that we were going to let Ame do all the hard work and heavy lifting while we enjoy each other’s company. Despite being under the weather and not overly hungry (shocking, I know), I told myself that the one thing I was dedicated to getting was the black cod entrée. Together, my friends and I took down the following:
Appetizers:
Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Veal Sweetbreads, Truffle Crème Fraiche and Pomegranate Seeds
Local Albacore Tuna Three-​Ways Nigiri-​zushi, Tartare and Grilled Belly
The friend who ordered the soup said that the pomegranate seeds were a great touch, and for someone who wasn’t well, she said that the soup was a warm and welcoming. My friend who ordered the albacore said that the sushi was a touch too warm, but that the tartare option was the best out of the three.
Entrees:
Broiled Sake Marinated Alaskan Black Cod & Shrimp Dumplings in Shiso Broth
«Chawan-​Mushi» Japanese Savory Custard with Lobster, Sea Urchin, Shiitake & Mitsuba Sauce
Salad of Autumn Garden Vegetables with Goat Cheese Croquettes & Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
I had the black cod and this was honestly one of best cooked fish preparations I’ve had in awhile. I loved the shrimp dumplings, and the broth the fish was sitting in was divine. While cod tends to taste overly fishy to me, there was nothing of that sort in this dish. Three of us had the fish and our friend who had the chawan-​mushi said that she thought that it was authentic and exactly what she was envisioning.
Desserts:
Fried Apple Turnovers with Maker’s Mark Bourbon Ice Cream & Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
Huckleberry Pie with Meyer Lemon Ice Cream, Almond Streusel & Lime Curd
We split these two dishes among the four of us, and both were absolutely perfect to share. Of the two, I think we all preferred the apple turnovers to the pie, mostly because we were all huge fans of the bourbon ice cream. The pie was good, and my only note that I had on the pie was that the crust was a little soggy on the bottom.
Service wise, our server was great in explaining the menu to us and made some great recommendations when it came to sharing and what we should pay most attention to. Food came out at a relatively leisurely pace, but dessert took a little longer than usual. In any case, Ame was a great place to celebrate Friendsgiving, and I would definitely come back here to try the pre-​fixe menu!

Ame was highly recommended to me during one of my business trips to San Francisco about a year ago and we made reservations and invited a few local friends for dinner. I had the most amazing miyagi oysters in this dash broth that I have ever tasted. They were soooooo good. It was a great appetizer, albeit VERY expensive.
For my entrée, I had the squid ink lobster and orzo and it was incredible. The food fusion that is done here is so incredibly creative and honest in its presentation. Beautiful dishes that make your eyes wish they had taste buds.
There were 8 of us and the bill came to about $ 1100 or so (we also had a few bottles of wine), which I thought was not too too bad at the end of the night. I just really thought the oysters were the priciest for what you got. I honestly cannot remember how much they were, but you get 3 oysters. And I remember thinking, holy macaroni, that is a lot of dough for three tiny oysters. LOL.
The desserts had a great selection and I watched everyone else enjoy their desserts very much. There was bananas foster, baked alaska, cookies, and crème brûlée. I am not a dessert gal, so I enjoyed my cappuccino just fine.
I would like to take my husband for a special occasion and just experience the whole fusion scene again with him. I know he would love it.

I remember it was my birthday.
They makes dishes so beautifully, I like the presentation. Food was okay and they tried make taste simple and tried to show original flavor from ingredient. I can fully understand what they chasing I think that is brilliant way but ingredient should be even more fresh and good quality. After that they will reach out they are goal. (just my opinion)

Decided to celebrate a special event on the 4^th of July at this Michelin Star restaurant located inside the St Regis and thankfully reservations were not tight. I was running a bit late and they accommodated my tardiness, which was an added plus. When we arrived, the host checked in our coats and kindly offered to chill the Cristal (25 $ corkage btw) for us
We decided to go with the tasting menu for the evening and at 89 $ a pop, it’s probably the most affordable Michelin star tasting menu ive witnessed to date.
Service was provided predominantly by one single gentlemen who tended to about 4+ tables, not typical of a Michelin caliber restaurant IMO. His presentation was more on the casual side and to be perfectly frank, the lounge-​y environs lent to that vibe as well, which i personally didn’t mind at all. That being said, I wasn’t looking for a stuffy experience and this was definitely not that.
Amuse
Watermelon Gelee — served chilled in a small icebox, this spoon sized amuse was bright and refreshing with a whimsical textural contrast between the crunchy watermelon and soft gelee.
Up first was a exquisite sashimi salad of Madai with sunburst squash and tomato vinaigrette. The flesh was supple and delicate as I expected and the flavor profiles were subtle with an exhilarating acidity for he vinaigrette. Overall, a simple yet pleasant start to our meal.
The following dish was much more exciting IMO. A cucumber gazpacho was served chilled as all gazpachos are and the hint of fresh mint added the perfect amount of fragrance to compliment the cool refreshing flavor profiles of this light and exhilarating dish. Add on the dill and lump Dungeness crab and you’ve got a very enticing dish that had me feverishly scraping the porcelain at the bottom of my bowl for one last spoonful.
The broiled Alaskan cod followed which was magnificent. This dish was infused with deep permeating familiar Asian flavors, which left you with a soothing comforting feeling spoonful after spoonful. An earthy and soothing dish that I enjoyed very much.
The steak arrived soon after and it was beautifully presented. A medallion of thick medium rare NY steak accompanied by a supporting cast of cippolini onions, summer beans and miso red bean sauce. The steak exhibited a perfectly pink center and a beautiful seared crust which made for an outstanding juicy & tender mouthfeel. An excellent end to our savory courses. At this point, I was satiated but there’s always room for dessert.
Desserts were glorious. We enjoyed not one, not two but three extraordinary desserts! From the creamy panna cotta to the molten chocolate cake to the warm fluffy sugar coated beignets, I was grinning from ear to ear by the end of the evening.
Service was efficient and friendly albeit a bit more on the casual side, but that was fine by me because I was having a fantastic time. Who said Michelin star restaurants had to be all stiff and robotic anyway. My dining experience was a refreshing departure from what I’ve come to expect from a restaurant of this caliber and I for one, am all in support of it.
Happyeats!

Well deserved Michelin star!
Get the miso glazed cod with shrimp dumplings in shiso broth. It is to die for. The duck over risotto and the lobster entrees are also fantastic. There is a custardy egg appetizer — can’t remember what it’s called — amazingly silky soft and delicious. You can’t go wrong with anything you order. One of my absolute favorite restaurants in SF for special occasions. Easy to get reservations, especially on OpenTable.

Overall, it was a great dining experience. I enjoyed my appetizers and entrees very much. I will come back when I’m in SF again.
1. Hokkaido scallop and sea urchin with caviar and ponzu sauce — it was fantastic. The flavor of all combined was absolutely tasty! It was very fresh. (⁵⁄₅)
2. Chawamushi with uni, lobster and shiitake mushroom –this was another highlight. The chef was kind enough to split this into two bowls for us to share. I’m craving for this dish as I’m writing this review (⁵⁄₅)
3. Broiled sake marinated Alaskan black cod with shrimp dumpling in shiso broth — they put a lot of effort into this dish. It was tasty. The broth has a tiny bit much more vinegar than I would like, but overall it was yummy. (⁴⁄₅)
4. Dry age duck breast and duck confit — I loved this dish more than the black cod. The duck was so tender, and immersed perfectly with the pepper sauce. (⁵⁄₅)
As for desserts, I tried the chocolate bread pudding and beignets. They both didn’t do much for me. I hope they can work on the desserts part little further. Our service was good, but the server was not as friendly and welcoming as I would like. To conclude, this place is definitely worth a try and fully deserved that Michelin one star.

I was excited to have my first Michelin restaurant experience at Ame. Although I had a great dinner, my mind was not blown away by the food.
I came here with 3 friends on a Tuesday night while staying near Union Square. As expected, the service was amazing. Our waiter was attentive and wanted to make sure that we not only had a good time at Ame but also provided recommendations for our stay in San Francisco.
I ordered the duck breast with duck leg confit and duck liver ($ 36), which tasted rich and tender. The portion size was smaller but it was plated beautifully. My friends ordered the Alaskan black cod in shisho broth but they all noted that the broth was a bit too salty.
For dessert, I had the almond milk panna cotta with strawberry compote ($ 12). This was amazing! Some of the best panna cotta I’ve had, it was soft and not too sweet.
Overall I was very impressed with the service and the meal but part of me expected a little more from a 1-​star Michelin restaurant.

Fantastic meal — would love to come back!
+ easy to book on OpenTable
+ easy to find in the city — downstairs of the St. Regis hotel
+ tempura poke appetizer
+ grilled lobster tail with scallops, mussels, clams in a saffron sauce with tortellini
+ broiled sake marinated blackcod with shrimp dumplings
+ beignets with figs and seasme

This is going to be an easy review, in that I do not have to say much thanks to my fellow Unilocalers.
You must:
1) Get the Alaskan Black Cod.
2) Grilled Maine Lobster Tail.
3) Of course, dessert!
So all things totaled, dining experience was great along with their attentive service. I do hope you give this place a try. Cheers!

I would have to say, Michelin star restaurant are usually focus on menu dishes & sauce pairing with wine & drink list. Due to its main purpose, the taste & sauce mix can be not delicious but Ame actually did an excellent job on all the dishes I tried.
Kaisen salad must try. sashimi was AAA grade by special greens & ponzu sauce
Chawanmushi w/​uni lobster:
Custer blend was delicate & smooth with dash broth. Bad part it’s taste less.
Alaskan Cod w/​wanton shiso broth:
Was delicious by pairing w/​critics yuzu ish a hint of sweetness with shiso leaf. It was good.
Yogurt panna cotta w/​fresh fruit & fruit dip sauce. was delicious.
But the chocolate pudding cake was surprising delicious… Love the texture!

Man WHO KNEW a hotel could house such an AMAZING restaurant?
I know it’s the St. Regis but I mean… it’s still «hotel food» right? I’ve stayed here before and didn’t even consider eating here for a second– but we were in the area and hankering for some Asian food and decided to give them a go and I (begrudgingly) agreed. I wasn’t a huge fan of Jewel Bako in NY and that really ruined one star Japanese restaurants for me, but boy was I wrong.
We opted for a la carte over the tasting menu and I’m SO glad we did. Here’s what we ordered:
Taste of Ame– We shared this as an appetizer and it was super yummy! A ton of light, fresh crudos and even a few tiny rolls. My favorite was the poke that’s playfully presented in the bamboo holder in the middle of the plate.
Marinated Black Cod– PERFECTLY done where the fish was still soft but had integrity, and it was in the most delightful shisho broth. It also came with delicate fresh shrimp dumplings. SOLID.
Grilled Main Lobster Tail with Hokkaido Scallops– YUM this was just SO tasty and buttery. I loved the black risotto underneath, it was a substantial portion of everything and I think would be a great filling alternative to steak!
NY Strip Steak with Bone Marrow– Very good, perfectly medium rare and the bone marrow was topped with little crunchy bits– absolutely decadent! I also love that they give you little spoons to fish the marrow out :).
Overall, the meal was AMAZING. I’ve never, ever eaten a meal and liked *everything*, but we truly loved everything we ate. The food, our waiter and even, the free bread were fantastic! Our waiter was incredibly pleasant, friendly and knowledgable and he was just the cherry on top.
Overall a FAB dining experience. We’ll be back Ame!

Ame is yet another contender in the popular Japanese/​American fusion category, serving up a blend of traditional and contemporary dishes.
I ordered the Hokkaido scallop tataki (without the uni though, as I dislike uni), which was quite pleasant. The scallops were fresh and the ponzu sauce gave the dish decent flavour without overpowering the scallops. The black cod I ordered for my entrée was done very nicely as well; perfectly broiled with a flavourful broth. I enjoyed the accompanying shrimp dumplings as well. Like many other Asian restaurants, Ame’s desserts aren’t Asian at all, but I thoroughly enjoyed the opera cake I ordered.
Unfortunately, there were some lapses in execution. My dining companions both ordered a chawanmushi for their appetizer, yet only one arrived at the table. Upon inquiring, our server informed us that the kitchen overcooked one and would make another one immediately. Of course, this threw off the pacing of the meal, as two of us were completely done with our appetizers by the time the second chawanmushi arrived. To their merit, they did send out a small sample of the rabbit loin as compensation. However, a mistake at this level was certainly unexpected and a bit disappointing.
Although cordial and polite, service overall proceeded at a slower pace that we would have liked. There was an uncomfortably long wait between the appetizers and main courses, during which I ate the entire bread bun they served, despite having deemed it too large to finish at the beginning.
In the end, we did enjoy our meal — the food was prepared well and of high quality, but was ultimately not extraordinary. That, and the slight service issues we encountered, cements the 3-​star rating from me.

Ame exudes a refined and fused concept to modern American tasting. It has a bit of French and Japanese cuisine touch to their dishes!
The ambiance is of contemporary fine dining and service is of the norm for fine dining.
I do recommend the «Chawan-​Mushi» Japanese Savory Custard with Lobster, Sea Urchin, Shiitake and Mitsuba Sauce. It was a soupy delight and the ingredients meshed well together.
Their Tataki of Hokkaido Scallops with Paddlefish Caviar and Ponzu Sauce was simply pleasant. It lacked some zestiness to enhance the flavor, in which I ideally prefer.
As for their reknowned Broiled Sake Marinated Alaskan Black Cod and Shrimp Dumplings in Shiso Broth, the black cod was smooth and cooked nicely on its crisp edge.
I ordered up their Skillet Roasted Dry-​Aged Liberty Farm Duck Breast on Ragout of Green Farro, Shimeji Mushrooms with Duck Leg Confit, Duck Liver Crostino and Bok Choy. The duck was done well and the skin was nice and crisp. The presentation was clean cut and left an impression. With so many different ingredients tossed onto one dish, each piece played a contributing part and it was not all a mess.
Let Ame be your Amen!

Decided to spend my Anniversary dinner with my lady at Ame. I found it interesting that Ame is a Michelin Star Restaurant that is Asian Fusion and what can I say? I’m a sucker for that. The restaurant wasn’t hard to find, you can’t really miss St. Regis, just a short walk from the Bloomingdales (Mall) parking garage. The ambience is intimate, it’s dim. Anyways here’s the recap of my experience.
Food
*Tataki Scallops w/​Cavier & Ponzu sauce — scallops are too die for, that is if you like uni and cavier. I’m not a big uni person but the fresh uni made me a fan. $ 22
*Chawan-​Mushi Savory Custard — This was the dish of the night for me. A savory custard? The chef fooled me. Served with this custard are some flavorful shitiitake mushrooms, perfectly cooked lobster and that delicious uni. The flavors in this dish are dynamite. The custard was amazing, every bite of custard melts in your mouth, which makes you think your eating soup, which I wasn’t. $ 18
*Grilled NY Steak — 1 of 2 Entrees and the superior one. The steak was cooked at a perfect medium rare but that was expected, excellent flavor on the steak. The potatoes were good, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The cherry on top was the bone morrow. Why can’t all steaks just come with bone morrow? Everything just works well with this dish. A1 $ 39
*Lobster Tail, Scallops, saffron, Tortellini — The entrée that I ordered… It was just okay. It was kind of like eating a lesser version of the appetizers earlier. Nonetheless the Lobster was great. The tortellini was eh. Two pieces and a very small portion of seafood on my plate left me searching for more. Wasn’t too impressed by this dish especially for $ 41
*Complementary Dessert — The chefs were kind enough to send some dessert our way. It was Vanilla ice cream infused with bourbon with fresh fruits. The ice cream was delightful, and with how how fresh the strawberries were, it was a great way to end our dinner.
Service
The service here was on point through the night. Roldofo had the pleasure of serving us and he did a wonderful job. The staff pulled out the chairs for us, checked in coats. They always came by to check on us. All around great service.
Overall, Although the food didn’t ignite my taste buds, I can see why Ame does have a Michelin Star. A couple negatives for me is the menu I saw online prior to setting my reservation here had me excited to ball out here. I was disappointed that they took the risotto and the sampler off the menu, both things played a huge part in decided to eat here. Had I known that, we probably wouldn’t have chose to dine here. So Ame didn’t quite reach my expectation there. Reading a couple of reviews mentioned the value for the price could be better, and I would agree with that. A little more food for that price, mainly the entrees would be something I would like to see. Nonetheless we left Ame happy! The food is great for the most part, but for Value it can be better.