Ever since Amado Fores opened the doors of A Mano in late 2019 at the Power Plant Rockwell, it’s enjoyed a steady crowd, eager to partake of its authentic Italian pizzas and cuisine. Personally, I’ve gone back time and again for its Pollo al Burro, rich in Tuscan Butter; and its Agnello Arrosto, with it’s Rosemary crust. So when Mommy-proud Gaita Fores posted on Instagram about A Mano’s new dishes, and it was a Tortellini Alla Panna, I was hooked to make an immediate visit.
Tortellini Alla Panna was my go-to pasta dish when I’d travel in Italy with my late mom in the 1980s. Back then, I loved how convenient it was to eat, without all the fork-twirling, and there was the surprise of how any trattoria would do their tortellini differently, with what it would be stuffed with.
There are a host of new dishes at A Mano, and I loved the ones coming from their Fresh Pasta corner, where fresh, handmade pasta is created each day. Of course, there’s the Tortellini Alla Panna, served in a cream sauce and thin, toasted slices of Parmigiano-Reggiano. The A Mano Tortellini is stuffed with Prosciutto di Parma, ground pork, Mortadella, and nutmeg—and it’s a heavenly combination!
The Tagliatelle al Nero con Frutti di Mare is black squid ink pasta with shrimps, scallops, squid, and toasted breadcrumbs. I loved how the toasted breadcrumbs added bite and crunchy texture to the dish. This one is a seafood-based pasta, light on the sauce, so I liked how it was so different from the Tortellini. Issa, in fact, had a great time combining the two new pasta offerings; and while I know that’s carb overload, the two worked wonderfully together.
The Risotto al Funghi is Arborio rice, with two kinds of mushrooms—porcini and portobello—along with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Honestly, this dish is a meal unto itself, and can best be shared among two to three persons.
The other new dishes are a Melanzane Parmigiana (eggplant), some starters, and a Bistecca Fiorentina. And then, for those with a sweet tooth, there are some new Dolci (desserts) that have you cheering and booking your return visit.
The Panna Cotta with Honeycomb Bits and Pistachio would be one of the best panna cotta you’ll find in this fair city. The Focaccia di Recco with Nutella is flatbread, which in this version, works as dessert—the other more popular version would see this served with cheese as a starter. Unbelievably, it’s light and yet such a treat. The trick here is making the focaccia as thin as possible.
If you’re still in the game for a soft serve gelato, A Mano makes its own and it comes in two flavors, burrata and coffee. We had the burrata and I liked how it wasn’t on the sweet side, retained its soft serve texture, and yet carried the burrata taste effectively.
The increase in alfresco tables at A Mano makes it an ideal venue for dining in our new normal. The quality of the dishes have never been in question; and I know that during the ECQ and MGCQ, a good number of people I know would have their favorite A Mano dishes at home. I appreciate how that may be the best, given the circumstances back then, but I still love having a dish served straight from the kitchen, and placed, steaming, in front of me. Enjoy these new A Mano selections!