Finally Here!
It took me a while to get here, but I finally got around to dining at Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen. After years of dining at Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman's other restaurants (Catherine & Mary's, Bishop, Little Bettie (inside Wiseacre's Downtown taproom) and Hog & Hominy; the latter is across the street from Andrew Michael), I finally visited the mothership of the Andrew Michael empire. I was curious about the hype surrounding one of Memphis' most renowned restaurants, which has won Michelin and James Beard awards. Also promoted as a genuine Italian restaurant featuring dishes made from recipes handed down from the owners' ancestors, I wanted to check it out and see how true that is.
When I arrived at Andrew Michael, I assumed for whatever reason that the restaurant was on the same side of Brookhaven Circle as Hog & Hominy. I was surprised that the restaurant was in a former residential home and smaller than the other restaurants that the "AM" guys run. Personally, I like small restaurants that feel more intimate and homey, places that say "you're invited" to a special place rather than dining in a bland corporate/chain restaurant setting. It was cool that the restaurant was dimly lit, which made the dining environment feel more casual. I had an 8:30 p.m. reservation, so I assumed the restaurant wouldn't be full. To the contrary, the restaurant was at full capacity so I waited a few minutes for my table. I eventually got a booth and a menu to start my dinner.
I Got Beef
This was probably the first time that I had Osso Buco despite living in Italy for four years. During my time in Italia, I had steak and other beef dishes but never a veal shank. Well, there's a first time for everything, so I'm fortunate to have had Ossobuco at Andrew Michael. The braised veal shank was very tender and flavorful, better than a typical chuck roast. Although it was great on its own, with bits of red and green peppers, the saffron risotto and the shank's bone marrow made it even better. The creamy saffron risotto (also known as Risotto alla Milanese) was creamy with a strong white wine flavor that was delicious and gave a huge boost to the Osso Buco. In addition, the bone marrow (which to me is "fat jelly") was both delightful and interesting, as it seemed to have some of that white wine flavor as well. Speaking of wine, the Ossobuco pairs well with a Chianti, something that my server suggested for the carbonara that I had before this but the wine didn't mesh as well with the pasta dish. Overall, my first Osso Buco dinner was great and I look forward to having it again.
SIDE NOTE: Weeks after having Osso Buco at Andrew Michael, I ate another version of it at
McEwen's. This entrée was a
"Southern" American take of it, substituting pork for veal with collard greens and cheddar cheese grits as side items. Although the braised pork shank was tender and as tasty as pulled pork in a good barbecue sandwich, I didn't get the benefit of bone marrow from the smaller shank. Despite that, McEwen's ossobuco was very good and holds its own with Andrew Michael (should have had it for last year's "birthday dinner" instead of seabass). As for which one is better, it comes down to what you're in the mood for, Italian or something from the "Dirty South".
I Know This
Before I ate the Osso Buco, I treated myself to a plate of Andrew Michael's carbonara. With the restaurant promoting itself as genuine Italian cuisine using recipes handed down from previous generations, one could assume that anything made in its kitchen would be authentic. While I'm not familiar with Osso Buco despite having lived in Italy for four years, I consider myself an expert on carbonara. I know that carbonara consists of pasta (typically spaghetti), egg yolks, cheese (either Pecorino Romano or Parmesan), cured pork (traditionally guanciale (pork jowl), but pancetta is an acceptable substitute), black pepper, and nothing else, like butter or a cream sauce. While eating Andrew Michael's version of carbonara, I didn't get the sense of authenticity the restaurant promotes. Instead of spaghetti, the dish uses bucatini, a long, tubular pasta that is a cross between spaghetti and macaroni. Although there is no rule about what kind of pasta to use in carbonara, I have never encountered bucatini in the many dozens of times that I've had it. Also, the carbonara was very creamy, which may appeal to the uninitiated but would be unimpressive to those familiar with the pasta dish. In terms of taste, it seemed a little heavy on black pepper, as it was way too prominent. A good carbonara dish should be modestly "creamy" from the eggs and cheese (Andrew Michael uses Parmesan), with no additional ingredients. Unfortunately, most restaurants I've dined at in America haven't met the standard for genuine carbonara (the closest I've gotten was from the least likely of places,
Bardog Tavern). The one thing about Andrew Michael's carbonara that I like is the huge chunks of guanciale, which were very tasty and made the alfredo..., er, carbonara decent. Overall, the pasta was good but not up to the standard that I expect for carbonara.
My dinner at Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen was good overall. In addition to the food, the service was great, despite my personal disagreement with the wine selection for the carbonara (my personal rule of thumb for pairing wine with pasta and other foods is "white for white" and "red for red"). I look forward to dining at the restaurant again, if for no other reason than to reminisce about my time in Italy. Although the food may not meet my expectations, the experience itself is a reminder of what I had in the past when I dined at trattorias in Italy. Getting back to the carbonara, my family and most of my friends who never visited Italy will love the egg pasta and just about everything the restaurant serves. As an Italian restaurant in America, Andrew Michael is better than most I've visited and probably deserving of the awards it won. However, I need more time there before forming an opinion of the consensus of the many about Andrew Michael, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.
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