Amori

If you liked Amori or loved it for that matter. You can get something even better now if you can believe it. Chef Pedro Semintal is now serving up Amore and then some at the new Three C's restaraunt on Huntington Dr. just a few blocks from his old stomping ground. If you haven't yet, go get some. more

My wife have always searched for good, individually owned restaurants throughout Southern California. Often we are disappointed, but occasionally we find a very good, or even great place that we return to often. We discovered Amori almost three years ago, and have returned several times. Each time we have agreed that Amori is better than anywhere else we have gone. We returned last Saturday to this small, romantic place and were treated with the same personal hospitality as before. The chef and owner, Pedro Simental is truly a master. Every dish that he creates is outstanding.\r \r Amori is a very romantic, small restaurant that is tastefully decorated. The service is always attentive, yet unpretentious. Amori is definitely not like some of the chain restaurants where the meals are overpriced and the service is phony. Rather, Amori is a unique treasure of a place where food is treated with passion by a great chef. Everything about Amori is romantic. \r \r We have tried restaurants all over the Southern California area, including virtually every one on the Citysearch list within ten miles of Pasadena. Amori is our favorite. Pedro Simental is a master chef who creates wonderful, romantic food. Amori is marvelous! Pros: Food, Service and Ambience Cons: none. more

whats wrong with u people this is the best restaurant ive been to.if u have a problem,contact me at edithsimental1@yahooand u know the rest and if u thought this restauarant was still cool still contact me because i love amori!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! more

Like the previous poster noted on their Valentines Day experience, the wait was horrendously long. Reservations were at 7pm. We were seated slightly earlier but in the outdoor patio. We sat at a table too far for the single wall mounted gas heater to reach us. The Valentines Day set meal was 7 courses. We might have been better off ordering regular meals. Coffee was fine. Water was fine. The single bread wafer with lox and a cream topping, was underwhelming. Asparagus soup was fine. The 'cracker' with seafood bits, was more substantial in size so it was okay. Seafood Crepe, had a very similar taste to the previous entree. Looked like a soggy egg roll; even more substantial in mass, getting me full. ""Dark Red"" Orange sorbet in the middle of dinner. One brussel sprout size scoop. This could have been given towards the end or omitted. The halibut tasted good, but what was disappointing was to see the asparagus soup used as a sauce. At this point I had a feeling someone was cutting corners. It was a small chunk of halibut too. 4 small bites finished it off. Fillet mignon was okay. It would have been better without the port sauce and something salty or herbal. The chocolate dessert was excellent (compared to everything else that was served). It was like a mousse with raspberries and blackberries with something akin to diluted condensed milk. It was 10:30pm-ish by the time we got out of there. The second both spoons fell after desert, I asked for the bill instead of waiting for it. It could have been more romantic if there was some background music. As the previous reviewer mentioned the tables are close enough to overhear a standard volume conversation. It was distracting enough to see the couple next to us bored to tears. I expected MUCH BETTER for $75/head. Never mind that it has been Zagat rated and called ""The Gem of Monrovia."" My GF and I are still in love despite this time sink. Thanks hunny, you're the best! more

I took my fiancee to this ""romantic "" restaurant for Valentines Day and was sadly disappointed. I went with an open mind since I read the chef competed on Iron Chef... so I was ready to eat.\r We had made reservations at 7:00pm and was told they were running late from the first group of people eating. So we came back @ 7:15, sat down and waited some more. Finally the food... it was a 7 course meal. I was happy when they started bringing the food. Now the problem, we must have waited 15 minutes between each ""course"". I went in starved, left less than satisfied. I also ordered a lemonade, before I was done the waiter asked me if I wanted a refill. I said yes, they brought back another with what looked like pepper on top, it ended up being ""coffee grinds"". The waiter never brought my drink back. \r Another bad thing was, the restaurant was very small and they packed tables in close to each other, so you can basically hear couple next to you talk .. annoying. \r The wait staff seems overwhelmed, (they had like 2 or 3 waiters and a little boy in the back washing dishes). We heard some other people had dirty silverware/dishes.\r After 2 and half hours we couldn't wait to get the hell out of there, feelings of claustrophobia was setting in.\r My girl and I tried to like the place but honestly would never go back. Oh btw, we paid $180 (including tip) to this place for a special dinner, and it was not up to par. Very disapointing Pros: Intimate, close to old town Monrovia Cons: long wait for food, dirty dishes, food, cramped space, terrible valentines dinner more

I am from San Francisco, a hub of great restaurants, fine dining, and suberb meals. Monrovia was the last place in the world I thought I would find ANYTHING to write home about other than the smog. What a pleasant surprise. The owner was known to me from a highly rated Zagat resaturant I had never been to across the street from Amori. Having known he had opened his own place, I ventured in! I felt like I was vistitng the home of a great chef on his night off, with everything tailored to his likes, with the focus on simple ingrediants and spectaculiar preparation. The service is professional, friendly yet non intrusive, letting the patrons focus on themselves and the food. I expected a slow turn around time, because I knew everything was made to order, yet compared to some of my SF favorites, the wait was much better. That being said, the prices were unbeatable, I expected alot less as far as food went with the prices, and actually left wondering how the heck this place would ever turn a profit with such great food. Rarely do you see such greatness at this cost. The owner was quite nice, and I asked to meet him because I wanted him to know what a great surprise this was. I should add I was irritated with my boyfriend because I wanted to go someplace else, having such low expextations. Anywyas, I know this is sounding like in infomercial, so I ask anyone with any questions to feel free to write me at nursepeggyrn@hotmail if there are specifics you want to know. I hardly ever write these things, so I felt it was well deserved. Pros: I felt like I was visiting the home of a great chef on his night off Cons: LA more

I had one of the best meals EVER at Restaurant Amori! (I think other reviewers were expecting a good Denny's or something... this place rocks! But it IS ""fine-dining"" and priced accordingly. I heard the owner/cook was even on Iron Chef!) Everything, from the apps to the entree was good, but I must start my review with dessert. YUM! Now, I consider myself somewhat of a conissour of Creme Brulee and this was the BEST I have ever had - hands down. The Creme Brulee was layered in between Phyllo dough, I think, and it was truly amazing. My Seafood entree was delicious as well... Lobster and Scallops in some sort of wonderful cream sauce with all sorts of mild, but complex flavors. I agree with other reviews that the turn around time between ordering and leaving Amori does indeed take a while, but the space is totally conducive to a bottle (or two) of good wine and some relaxing conversation. Take your time here, and savor the food. Besides, if you are really enjoying your date, you WANT the evening to linger on, right?! Pros: Parking was a breeze; Food is perfect more

My wife and I ate here the other night. The restaurant is cozy and well decorated with a romantic atmosphere. The lamb medallions appetizer was very good as was my steak. But I have to agree with some of the other reviews on here, the food seemed to take quite a while to arrive for each course. And it seemed like communication between kitchen and servers must be a little off. We were brought appetizer plates ten minutes before the appetizers. I was given my steak knife ten minutes before the entree arrived. The entree sides came out ten minutes after the entree! It felt like the servers wanted to be faster but the food just wasn't coming out as quickly as they anticipated.\r Bottom line: The food is very good, but expect to be there for a longish period of time. more

Amori is the gem of Monrovia. Owner/chef Pedro (formerly of Shiro's in S. Pasadena, Devon in Monrovia & Food Channel's Iron Chef competing chef) updates the menu seasonally. Food & service is consistently wonderful and upscale, but without the Pasadena prices or lines. This is the best food for miles. Palates are guaranteed to be tantalized. Alice Walters would be proud!! Thank you for establishing the finest restaurant in our town, Pedro!! Pros: Food and service is wonderful Cons: Seating is limited more

With a current rate of 9.1, my husband and I tried this place. We walked in on a Fri night and there was only 1 other couple in the entire place. Ohhh OK. We sat down and looked at the menu- LIMITED like you wouldn't believe. OK, don't knock it till you've tried it, we thought. We ordered. Service was SLOW, I mean REALLY SLOW. How can this be when we're the only couple ordering??? 20 minutes later, yes 20, the brought out the bread and butter. The entire meal of 1 appitizer, 2 main courses, and 1 dessert costed us $90. NO wine or drinks mind you. And that Sorbet- YUK!!! Haagen Daz makes such a better Sorbet. Every little thing took forever to come. 1.5 hours later (not by choice) as we were leaving, a woman walks in with 2 friends saying ""we have reservations for .."" Ohhh good thing, considering the high traffic this place has. ie we left and they were the only ones remaining on a FRIDAY NIGHT. It seems to me the high rating to this place stemmed from their wine list. Since when does an extensive wine list dictate the quality of the restaurant??? But if you want wine, this is the place. If this place was all that, why aren't people going back again and again?? Do yourself and your wallet a favor, and try elsewhere. ANYWHERE ! Pros: NOTHING Cons: EVERYTHING more

\r \r We have tried this resturant for the first and last time. The food is very expensive and the service is very very slow for no reason. The average cost per person for 1 appetizer, 1 entree and a pepsi is $65. The quality of the food is low and the amount is the least I have ever foud in any resturant in Clifornia. What surprised me the rating as 9.1. Who has given this rating and on what basis??? I DO NOT RECOMMEND this place to anybody. I give this resturant a rating of no more than 6 and I am so generous to give this rate. Please, save your time, effort and money and try somewhere else Pros: nothing Cons: very expensive, little food and slow service more

Amori is one of the best restaurants in the whole area. Their seating is great, and their foods are fantastic! The service was excellent with a smile on their faces. They were kind and generous. This is a great place for your boyfriend or husband to take you to dinner. The atmosphere is romantic and quite, and on Friday nights, there is a guitarist that comes in and places romantic/classical music for your pleasure! Pros: Good Food, Great Service, Romantic Atmosphere Cons: Not A Place For Kids, Price more

i went to try Amori w/ my bf & a couple of my friends a couple of weeks ago. when we first walked into the restaurant, it was basically empty, but as soon as i saw the zagat survey sign, i felt a lot better. we all gave it a try, and to all of our surprises, it was great. the food was great, and the service was excellent. the only one dish we didn't like was their pork chop, but everything else was yummy, especially the strawberry creme brulee as our dessert. one of the best and most unique creme brulee we've had, and i believe that was the best dessert we could have to end our dining experience at Amori. Pros: service, food, interior design Cons: parking more

I have eaten here twice now and can't praise it enough!! I've told all my friends about it. The restaurant is intimate and appropriately named as there isn't anything I didn't fall in love with. Every bite just melts in your mouth and there is such an explosion of flavor in such simple dishes. Chef Simental never goes overboard yet knows the perfect balance that will please the palate. I highly recommend the prix fix menu which really was so extensive that I was glad I shared it with my husband. The quality of Chef's creation equals or even surpasses any other fancy fine dining establishments, and is absolutely a gem in Monrovia/Pasadena area. Pros: Food, Atmosphere, Service more

This is one of the best French seafood place I've ever eaten. Every dish we ordered was fantastic! The waiters were super nice and attentive. The chef even gave us some special treat on the house. We can't wait to go back for our Valentine's or Anniversary. You have to come and try it for yourself. Pros: Excellent food, Great service more

I've eaten here twice and both times found the food and service to be superb. I love the sorbet you receive as an intermezzo between courses - it's a nice touch. Can't go wrong if you order the catfish...it's very familiar as Chef Simental apprenticed under Shiro. I'm not much of a dessert person, but the strawberry creme brulee is a don't miss. The restaurant space is fairly small, but when it's not crowded - it's actually a welcome because it's intimate. Pros: great food/service, easy parking, intimate more

If your in the mood for some fine dining, but don't have the time or unwilling to drive to downtown, then this is the place for you. Set in old town with an above average atmopshere/neighborhood and serving above average food/wine nothing else in the area compares. Pros: Above average food, Moderate priced wine, Nice Ambience Cons: By far not the best more

My husband and I spent our Valentine's looking for new places to fall in love with... After several savory disappointments over the past few years, Amori now tops the list of A-rated restaurants in town and in our hearts. The 7-course Valentine's dinner of red bell pepper soup, foie gras, lobster, sorbet, ahi tuna, and duck was a real steal! The foie gras was unreal and bar none. No wonder Zagat referred to Chef Simental as the ""Master of Sauces."" Every course was a treat of its kind. We loved the sorbet so much that the server brought extra for us as the 8th course. That was certainly a bonus. The ambience was fun but the attention here was definitely on the feast. The room was filled to its maximum capacity like dining at a cafe in Manhattan. My husband and I will definitely be back! Pros: Reasonably Priced, Great Food, Cozy Ambience Cons: Crowded, A Little Wait, Hard to Locate more

With my wallet lighter and my stomache heavier - I review Amori with a saddened heart - for Amori was not a place for amore on a night that should have been full of amore. The atmosphere allowed for a romantic dinner with your significant other - plus those of the two tables that surrounded you! The seven-course dinner, at $65 a person, was 4 for 7 in enjoyment. When I asked, I was told the special menu was the only one to order off of, only to watch them give regular menus to a couple two tables away. The experience was akin to riding in a crowded Amtrack train - too many people crushed in, too much money for the transportation, and food that you paid too much money for...save yourself, your taste buds, and your wallet...STAY AWAY!!! Cons: Slow to seat, No value for money, Seating too close more

Chef Simental really knows how to whip up a mouthwatering feast. His catfish here is even better than the ones he had at Shiro's. The Prix Fixe is definitely the way to go. Never miss out on the heavenly creme brulee. The ambience is super romantic: sinking into silk pillows, sipping on a glass of red wine while listening to Diana Krall. The servers and the manager really know how to make you feel right at home. Who needs Quebec? Pros: Amazing food, Friendly service, Great value Cons: , No kid's menu, Limited wine <50 more