Amice is one of those places where you immediately notice that the people in the kitchen have known each other for years. Chefs Michael Wolf and Jordy Koopmans have been working in the downtown restaurant world for more than 15 years and together they have established a clear idea: casual fine dining, but without the fuss.
The basis is a product-driven à la carte menu with French and Asian influences. No endless set courses, but choosing what you feel like that evening, with dishes in which the main ingredient plays the leading role. The French side provides classic techniques and rich flavors, the Asian touch for freshness, acidity and excitement on the plate.
One of the first things you notice when you walk in is the open kitchen. You are never far from the fire, seeing how sauces are finished, how tasting and adjustments are made. That creates direct contact between guests and kitchen: a glance, a brief explanation of a dish, sometimes a joke in between. That open setting suits how Wolf and Koopmans envision it: cooking at a high level, but in a space where you don't have to pretend to be anything other than what you are.
You are never far from the fire, watching sauces being finished, tasting and adjusting.
With this business, Wolf and Koopmans are building on the name that Michael Wolf in particular has already established in local gastronomy. Amice adds its own, French-Asian twist to the neighborhood's offerings and demonstrates that casual fine dining here is not about dress codes or tall tales, but about good produce, attention in the kitchen and a space that is all about food and people at the table.