Neapolitan-style pizza
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Few things are as comforting as warm bread — dip it in flavoured olive oil or pesto, top it with marinated tomatoes, and the experience becomes even more satisfying. Italian cuisine celebrates simple, clean flavours, transforming basic ingredients into something timeless and unforgettable. Yet, capturing that simplicity is often more complex than it seems.
Chennai’s newest Italian nook Ameno, located above Les Amis on Chamiers Road, serves these simple flavours in their most authentic form. “I have worked with a lot of Italian chefs over the years, and they have taught me a lot. That is the essence of this space,” says executive and consultant chef Rajesh Raghavan, who took a month to put the menu together after multiple trials and taste tests.
Menu at Ameno
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The menu is a quantitative spread of appetisers, soups, salads, pizzas, and pastas, while specialising in handmade egg pastas and the Neapolitan-style pizza.
The mushroom soup is chunky and creamy served with cheesy mozzarella bites. There is an undeniable waft of truffle that elevates the rich umami notes of the soup. For a heartier start, pick the minestrone, loaded with veggies, or the classic chicken soup. Though a little under-seasoned, both are salvaged with some seasoning and a drizzle of flavoured olive oil on the table.
Interiors of Ameno
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The Ameno special salad made with a mix of tropical fruits and vegetables, topped with a creamy tangy dressing does not stand out. The Greek salad, however, is a light, yet filling option served with a block of feta. Pair it with a classic tomato bruschetta, or the equally flavourful eggplant parmigiana for a perfect beginning, or even a small meal.
Paying tribute to the timeless tradition of making handmade pasta, Ameno serves three cuts of their homemade egg pasta — fettuccine, tagliolini, and pappardelle, that can be paired with any of the sauces. The pesto paired with the tagliolini is a clear winner. “We also have a no-egg version for all the pastas including the lasagna, which are not handmade, to accommodate pure vegetarian customers,” says the chef. The pasta menu includes pillowy gnocchi doused in a beurre blanc sauce which is heavier on the palate.
Pasta
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The main event is the Neapolitan-style pizza made in a stone oven imported from Italy. The pizzas are made to order, and each one takes only two to three minutes to bake to perfection. Each pizza is fully customisable with toppings of choice and even a half-and-half can be accommodated. The crisp, yet chewy base is the result of a high hydration dough, made fresh in-house on a daily basis.
To complete the meal, either pick the tried and tested tiramisu, or the sticky coffee pudding, or better yet, head downstairs to Les Amis and indulge in a scoop or two of gelato.
Ameno is in Raja Annamalai Puram, Chennai. A meal for two costs ₹2,000.
Published – March 27, 2025 04:10 pm IST
Dining and Cooking