Review: L'Amico American Food with an Italian Twist

Great ambience, check.
Fantastic cocktail selection, check.
A menu that everyone can enjoy, check.

If you’re looking for a restaurant near Penn Station that checks all the boxes, L’Amico is the one. It’s owned by Laurent Tourondel who brings casual American cooking with Italian influence to the Eventi Hotel. Rarely does this girl ever go out of the way to enjoy anything but Asian food, but I’ve been walking past this restaurant on my way to work so many times that I just had to try. Yup, today was that lucky day.

I always divide my attention based on two parts — food and service. Without amazing food what’s the real reason to return to a restaurant time and time again? For a first timer, L’Amico didn’t have any dishes that completely stood out to me, you can expect the usual assortment of oven fresh pies, a safe selection of pastas, and charcuterie boards. However, the service I received here was outstanding, the staff was extremely knowledgable about the current dishes/cocktails on the menu (a huge plus in my book). Their staff was so on point, I practically felt like I was the only table there (I was not, it got crowded quick). It just goes to show how attentive they are when people from the hotel start pouring in.

Here’s a closer look at my whole experience below.

…and now the food! They sent us a few apps to start before our main courses that we ordered like the seafood agnolotti that comes with scallops, lobster, crab, shrimp and mafaldine with barolo braised oxtail, smoked ricotta…bring on the food coma!

I get brussel sprouts whenever I’m at an Italian restaurant (maybe it’s from my college years of working at Pasta Pomodoro) I’ve grown to love them. They’re made differently everywhere, but I especially loved this one because of the little bits of pancetta * insert drool *.

By the time dessert came around, we were so full. But they wouldn’t take no for an answer and sent out some delicious treats to end the meal.

L’Amico is definitely a solid choice, I would totally recommend for a last-minute dinner or if you’re looking for a quick bite to fuel you up for a day of shopping.