Presence

A few months back, the owners of The Brasserie sold their establishment to the Shalom Kosher Group, owners of Shalom Strictly Kosher Market and Max's Kosher Cafe in Silver Spring. The restaurant was closed for remodeling just before Rosh HaShannah, and reopened this past Wednesday as Amanda's. Penny and I stopped by last night to check things out.

When news came out that the new owners were also the proprietors of Max's, which is known for it's schwarma but not for it's ambiance, there were worries that Amanda's would devolve into nothing more than a glorified Kosher Bite. Thankfully, that is not the case. There is little difference between the old Brasserie and the new Amanda's. In remodeling, the coat room was removed, and some updates were made to the decor, but overall the place looks pretty much the same. Most of the staff from The Brasserie are back as well.

The menu is also not much different; appetizers all looked familiar, as well as main courses (for a refreshed, check out the old Brasserie menu). There were a few new items, such as a stuffed chicken entre, as well as a few old favorites that finally came off the specials list and onto the menu (Chilean Sea Bass, anyone?). The prices were on average about the same, leaning towards a bit more affordable. The current menu was not very comprehensive, with a focus on chicken, steak and pasta dishes; no sign of the Mexican fare previously offered by The Brasserie. Sushi is now presented as a separate menu, and it appears that the selections have increased.

The food took a long time to arrive, at least thirty minutes. In the old Brasserie days, I don't recall it taking this long; perhaps the wait was mitigated by the fact that a complimentary house salad was provided with each entre ordered. Amanda's has done away with the free salad, so the wait for the food was that much more frustrating. When the food finally did arrive, I was pleasantly surprised that, although the menu was at first glance the same, the food was much improved. I thoroughly enjoyed my steak, which came with a very tasty honey/peper sauce; and I actually ate all my green beans, which rarely happens. Penny had the stuffed chicken which she also enjoyed (according to the waiter, her old staple, flounder stuffed with imitation crab meat, will be added back on the menu in the coming weeks).

Overall, I was pleased with the new Amanda's. The lack of a salad irked me a bit, and the wait time was frustrating, but the food was good and the ambiance acceptable. I'm happy to say that there is still a nice place to go for special occasions in Baltimore; our fears of a fast food joint were unfounded.

Amanda's is located in Pomona Square, in the location previously occupied by The Brasserie. They are currently taking reservations for dinner only, with plans to open for lunch in the next few weeks.