THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Ame

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Ame Restaurant Review:

Brothers Guy and Michael Rubino closed their restaurant Rain, teamed up with club king Charles Khabouth and transformed their location. Seven months later, it reopened as Ame (Japanese for rain). The space is cool and hip still with a dominant waterfall at the entrance; now it's divided into different spaces by black ironwork, thick timber and other devices. Ultra-inventive, talented chef Guy can be seen in the open kitchen doing a whole new take on Japanese cuisine. The menu reads rather traditional with categories such as robata grill, tempura, sashimi and nigiri, but the execution is touched with molecular European techniques. A simple dish like tempura Brussels sprouts arrives hot and crunchy, skewered on steel nails with a savory cashew dipping sauce. Black miso cod---marinated in Koji sauce---melts in the mouth. Watercress with yuzu is bundled in rice paper like little parcels with tiny peanut cubes and toasted soya nuts. Tuna sashimi is pierced with baby carrots and garnished with yogurt dashi, homemade miso powder, mango chili ginger mousse and bonito flakes. Don’t miss the desserts by Robert Gonsalves---tangy grapefruit with sponge cake, molten chocolate and chestnut with marzipan, for example. Cocktails are another highlight--they're made with seasonal fresh-squeezed juices, bitters and infusions. Gin Kim Chi pairs gin with pickled ginger, pickled daikon, cilantro, hot spices and lemon juice, and it tastes like kimchi.