Tonight: A Killer Industry Night At Amis


Marc Vetri’s Amis has done plenty of industry nights for the downtrodden and (ostensibly) under-served cooks and servers and hostesses and dishwashers in this town. Most of the time, they pass by pretty much unremarked save by those who use them like life preservers to get through the more challenging weeks of La Vida–The Life, as measured by restaurant employees.

But tonight’s industry night is really something special, featuring the combined efforts of Tom Peters (owner of Monk’s and the Belgian Cafe), Fergus Carey (of Fergie’s) and the crew at Amis (with a little liquid help from their bretheren at Alla Spina). Imagine that a fast-moving Irish pub, piloted by a Belgian beer snob, were to crash violently through the front glass of an Italian birreria and you’ll have some idea of the kind of party that the Amis crew are cooking up–a three-way multicultural mash-up of booze and grub all put together for the benefit of starving line cooks (and the occasional beer rep).

I talked to Brad Spence, chef at Amis, and he told me that the Monk’s team will be bringing in a unique play on the oh-so-Belgian chicon for dinner tonight–braised endive, wrapped in ham and then served, in this case, with a Chimay-and-cheese bechamel. They’ll also be doing a smoked mussel salad and some kind of mystery pate which Spence was pretty sure was pork, but was otherwise in the dark.

For his part, he and his crew will be seeing the chicon, mussels and charcuterie with wild boar sausage sandwiches doused in “Samurai” sauce (which he swore was traditionally Belgian, made of mayo and sambal and pickled vegetables), a baked spaghetti Bolognese (which, again, he swears has Belgian roots), plates of bruscetta with farmer’s cheese and radishes and Belgian chocolate pudding for dessert (natch).

In terms of the booze, Monk’s will be hauling in some Dock Street “Dude De Garde,” an as-yet-unnamed Belgian sour, and “a couple of other surprises,” according to Spence. On the Italian side, everything is currently being kept under wraps, but we’re pretty sure it’s going to be good because, seriously, who would keep a keg of Budweiser secret?

As always, the festivities start at 10pm at Amis. The food is free, the booze is discounted, you’ve got to be in the industry (with a recent pay stub to prove it) in order to attend, and all civilians denied entrance can gather at the nearest Olive Garden to complain about not being cool enough to party with the white-jackets.

Cheers.

Amis [Official website]