A mano Kitchen & Bar
In Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare opined “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
Although I understand the sentiment I can’t help but wonder if we would be so quick to put our nose to a flower if the name was unappealing. A name is important, especially in the restaurant industry. A mano Kitchen & Bar, a name that is simplistic yet elegant, is the perfect name for this fantastic restaurant located in the Icon Tower at 344 S. Warren St. in downtown Syracuse. They are open Monday from 11 am to 3 pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm, Friday from 11 am to 10 pm and Saturday from 5 pm to 10 pm.
At A Mano Kitchen & Bar they pride themselves on utilizing the finest, freshest, and often locally sourced ingredients which helps them provide an unforgettable culinary experience.
A mano translates from Italian to mean “By Hand.” This name is the embodiment of everything you will find at A mano Kitchen & Bar because as you might have guessed everything is made by hand. From the freshly made pasta to the hand tossed pizzas, right down to the citrus and fennel butter. At A mano Kitchen & Bar they pride themselves on utilizing the finest, freshest, and often locally sourced ingredients which helps them provide an unforgettable culinary experience. They have also adopted a fitting description for their style of cuisine- Modern American with an Italian Soul. I can’t help but feel like such a description could describe so many of us in Central New York. This description makes me thing back to eating homemade meatballs and sauce at my grandparent’s house every Sunday growing up; a tradition that
continued until I moved out of state for law school. I imagine several Central New Yorkers could identify as a Modern American with an Italian Soul and we would each have our own stories. At A mano Kitchen & Bar you can experience some of the Fiacchi family’s story: a combination of decades in the culinary industry, world class culinary education, and travels across Europe learning about food, culture, and farming.
A mano is the ideal lunch spot in Downtown Syracuse; their fast and friendly staff will indulge you with whatever style lunch hour you have in mind, whether it’s a pizza before your next meeting or a longer lunch that fades into the evening where you enjoy several dishes with your companions and split a bottle or two of wine. They have a dinner menu that is certain to please. Their amazing pastas are handmade, their wood fired and hand tossed pizzas are divine, and their main courses are mouth watering. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and as an added bonus it is a lot of fun to watch the talented pizza chef toss dough into the air.
At A mano Kitchen & Bar you can experience some of the Fiacchi family’s story: a combination of decades in the culinary industry, world class culinary education, and travels across Europe learning about food, culture, and farming
My friend Janelle and I went to A mano on a cool fall Saturday. We were immediately greeted by the friendly hostess and sat at a cozy table with a great view of the pizza station. We began our meal with the Salumi, a beautiful selection of artisan cheeses, hand cut meats, golden toasted bread, local honey and spicy brined celery. This board was equal parts beauty and flavor. The bold cheese flavors paired perfectly with the spicy cured meats. We decided to split an order of the house meatballs, covered in tomato sauce and mozzarella, and the Misticanza salad. This gorgeous salad was a mix of arugula, baby lettuce and torn herbs, topped with house croutons and drizzled with their signature fennel, lemon and honey vinaigrette. We also indulged in freshly baked bread and A mano’s own “cheez-it!” For our entrees (that were totally big enough to split- which we highly suggest so that you can try out several of the scrumptious menu offerings) we decided on the Amatriciana, a dish of guanciale (pork), plum tomato and onion topped with chili flakes to add a bit of spice, served on top of hearty fresh fusilli and the Mushroom Bolognese with cremini and porcini mushrooms, ricotta salata, served on top of imported cresto de gallo. Both dishes were masterfully created and positively delightful. Despite being completely stuffed, with to go containers packed, we decided to split a warm chocolate lava cake for dessert. It was an absolutely heavenly way to end a fantastic meal.
A mano has amazing pastas are handmade, their wood fired and hand tossed pizzas are divine, and their main courses are mouth watering.
At A mano Kitchen & Bar they are focused on providing you with a unique dining experience that you can’t find anywhere else in town. Check them out on Facebook to keep up with their yummy daily specials and visit their website at www.amanosyr.com. Better yet, head over to A mano today and
experience the “handmade” difference!
