{"id":20346,"date":"2025-10-23T23:28:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T23:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/20346\/"},"modified":"2025-10-23T23:28:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T23:28:09","slug":"italian-and-japanese-flavors-at-sfs-ama-brad-kilgore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/20346\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian and Japanese flavors at SF’s Ama Brad Kilgore"},"content":{"rendered":"

Less than a month after opening, Ama, the new Japanese-Italian restaurant by celebrity chef Brad Kilgore in Transamerica Redwood Park, should be saturating your social media feeds with big plates of koji-dry-aged wagyu beef and housemade pasta.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not\u2014and that\u2019s no accident. <\/p>\n

Instead of relying on foodies and influencers to spread the word about the new restaurant, Ama is kicking it old-school, letting word of mouth do the work. Phones aren\u2019t exactly outlawed in the swanky new space in the Pyramid\u2019s shadow, but they are actively discouraged. Ama is meant to be experienced in person, not via scrolling.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a nod to the pre-digital world in which the Transamerica Pyramid was built, an homage echoed throughout Ama\u2019s design.<\/p>\n

\"Gourmet Yakitori-grilled diver scallops with warm nduja vinaigrette and whipped potato scented with smoked cheese at Ama(Joseph Weaver) <\/p>\n

From the entrance, the restaurant appears to be a sophisticated Japanophile jewel box\u2014an intimate, 18-seat dining room with a chic copper-wrapped bar and just enough traditional art to enhance, but not overwhelm, its dimly-lit vibe. <\/p>\n

But behind the \u201cCopper Room\u201d hides a sultrier second space orchestrated by Kevin Klein Design<\/a>. The \u201cSocial Club\u201d is a direct descendant of retro \u201870s cool, part teenager\u2019s basement hangout, part Studio 54-style club. Like a mid-century sunken living room, its center is anchored by a plush circular rug and overstuffed, brown-toned couches, with an oculus light dome overhead. An analog music booth faces the setup, a place both for DJs late night on Fridays and Saturdays and a \u201ctiny desk\u201d for live musicians on Thursdays.<\/p>\n

One side of the room sports densely packed tables and a couple of vintage pinball machines, while the other has a collection of generous, semi-circular green leather booths. A mini library of architecture and design books are subtle reminders of the brutalist landmark outside.<\/p>\n

From one of those half-moon alcoves, I have an unobstructed view of the entire \u201cSocial Club,\u201d as it transitions from early evening to night. Those who are here for dinner have reserved a seat at the tables, while those here for cocktails only can drop in without an advance booking to sit in the central seating area (as long as it\u2019s not already at capacity).<\/p>\n

\"Cozy The Social Club at Ama(Yoshihiro Makino) <\/p>\n

On both the food and drinks menu, Ama\u2014which is both the Japanese word for mermaids and women pearl divers, and an Italian expression for love and devotion\u2014does its name justice. Both juxtapose Kilgore\u2019s affinity for Japanese technique and umami flavors with Italian soul and heritage. <\/p>\n

In crudo form, this means slices of raw otoro with roasted garlic dashi topped with green olive granita, which delivers a surprising combination of textures and temperatures; with main dishes, it\u2019s wagyu striploin with brown butter-miso or yakitori-grilled diver scallops with warm nduja vinaigrette and whipped potato scented with smoked cheese.<\/p>\n

With his appetizers, Kilgore hits it out of the park. The bluefin tuna carpaccio, shaved ultra-thin and draped over a crispy rice ball like an elegant derby hat, progresses from delicate to spicy to comfortingly crunchy in a single bite. The arancini liquido, which has its own graceful \u201chat,\u201d has a creamy filling of fontina, 18-month-aged gouda, and shiitake mushroom.<\/p>\n

\"Three Bluefin tuna carpaccio at Ama(Joseph Weaver)<\/p>\n

The soft egg\u2014the dish that first made the chef a sensation in Miami\u2014is delightfully decadent with a sea scallop and Gruy\u00e8re espuma and an optional dollop of Osetra caviar. Paired with the Fuji-san brioche\u2014a melt-in-your-mouth loaf with a tomato-miso glaze on top\u2014it is an absolute must. <\/p>\n

The pasta and rice department is staffed by goodies like uni puttanesca and a risotto made with prosciutto dashi, pickled hijiki, and black truffle chawanmushi. I choose the lumache diavolo, which has a light tomato-vodka sauce, a kick of Calabrian kosho, and a cooling dollop of yuzu whipped cream. The dish, which leans more Mediterranean than Japanese, can be upgraded with a whole Maine lobster finished tableside for dramatic flair.<\/p>\n

And then there\u2019s the meatball, a baseball-sized matrix of wagyu beef and salsiccia on a bed of umami pomodoro sauce dripping with caramelized fondue. It\u2019s dense and rich and adeptly sidesteps common meatball complaints like overcooking and dryness.<\/p>\n

\"Spoon Ama’s soft egg with caviar(Joseph Weaver)<\/p>\n

Cocktails\u2014which include the herbaceous cilantro and ume with sour apple, dill oil, and umeboshi bubbles, and the smoke-kissed tomato hana with toasted rice shochu, tomato-miso shrub, and yuzu vinegar\u2014tend more toward the savory than the sweet, pairing well with the shifting meal. Desserts are, at least at this point, limited\u2014though Kilgore\u2019s version of tiramisu, the tira-miso with butterscotch miso and espresso cream, is said to be delicious (it was unavailable the night I visited). <\/p>\n

To see what else Ama\u2019s cooking up, you\u2019ll have to put down your phone and get your own seat at the table.<\/p>\n

\/\/ Ama is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5:30pm to 10pm and Friday through Saturday from 5:30pm to 11:30pm; 545 Sansome St. (FiDi), instagram.com\/ama_bybradkilgore <\/a><\/p>\n