| rev:text
| - 'Ame' is the Japanese word for 'rain', so it follows that Ame is the traditional Japanese version of the now-closed Japanese fusion restaurant Rain.
I was taken here last night, on the second day of the restaurant being in business, and I should qualify my review by saying that I had never been to Rain but also that I rarely get to sleek King Street hot spots.
I suppose the decor shouldn't be the first thing I mention in a review but... wow, the decor! Elements of Japanese style like mon seals, brocade, daruma dolls, kimono printed glass and lattice walls made the space really exotic and atmospheric.
We sat at the bar, so I didn't have the full sit-down meal experience. I did do a tour around the restaurant first and saw the private dining room, the fancy Robata grill imported from Japan and the sushi chefs all lined up, knives gleaming, waiting for the dinner orders to start. Everything looked impeccable.
The cocktails are really different from the standard: I had a Gin-sing martini, which contained gin, ginseng, ginger and vanilla foam, garnished with edible flowers. Sounds weird but it was so good. Apparently the drink menu was devised by a Bar Chef bartender. I watched the bar staff create some very interesting mixes indeed: the cocktails are each $14 but for once, I think the price suits the amount of innovation and effort involved. The highballs are served on a large globe of ice, which I haven't seen done anywhere outside of Japan. We also had shots of sake ($6 to $8) - I love my cold, milky Nigori! I think Ame is going to be a very good spot for a posh drink or two, even if not for a whole meal.
The food menu is not extensive. There are about five or six items in each of nine menu categories. Since we were just having a snack at the bar, I didn't try any of the entree-sized dishes. First, we had the scallop sashimi ($12). What we got was beautifully presented but it was not what was expected. The scallops were tossed in a sesame cream with wakame. I had been craving the cool cleanness of straight-up sashimi. So... the lesson here is that the sashimi dishes are not regular slices of fish on a plate - they are more complicated dishes which incorporate sashimi. Next, we tried the kabocha tempura ($10). It was served on a bed of nails and it was absolutely the best tempura I've ever had.
I intend to get back to Ame soon to try the duck curry and the unagi ramen, along with a couple more of those unique cocktails.
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