I think grand is a word I'll be using over and over to describe the decor of Amarone. It looks nothing remotely like Pizza a Metro. From the gates through which you enter the restaurant, to the enormous round marble bar which has lights shining up through it, to the giant chandeliers, it seems that the recession has not hit this part of Scottsdale.
The grandeur seems out of place in this tired strip mall with its bowling alley and assortment of small businesses. But once you're inside, you feel like you're in a different world - somewhere between a restaurant in NYC's Little Italy and a swanky hotel bar.
Maurizio and his friendly team were gracious enough to seat us even though we arrived past 10pm on a weeknight (kitchen closes at 10pm). The fresh out-of-the-oven pita-like bread that Metro is so known for hit our table first with a side of caramelized onions and other aromatics. We really liked the light coating of olive oil and salt on the warm thin bread. Then came our order:
Stuffed Mushrooms $10 - shrooms stuffed with sausage, ricotta, parmesan in a lemon garlic veal stock reduction: lots of flavor although the stuffing tasted a bit too much like liver for one of us
Shrimp Scampi $11- half dozen large butterflied shrimp in a lemon butter white wine sauce: the shrimp were huge but unfortunately lacked flavor
Homemade Gnocchi $14 - in a tomato sauce with cubes of mozz and basil: the light and airy gnocchi was definitely our fave
I found the sauces on my two apps a bit unbalanced and the plating old-fashioned. It seems that the dishes that Metro are known for are still the stars here. Given how large the menu is, I really need to come back and try a few of the 16 pastas ($14-$23) and 17 mains ($18-$28) before I can give a real verdict.
Get the word out: Amarone is open for business!