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Ama is proudly Pugliese, its focused menu indigenous to the heel of the Italian boot. The Pugliese kitchen abounds in beans, greens, seafood, and simple pastas, and for the most part, so does Ama’s. Fava beans, a Pugliese staple, make frequent appearances throughout the streamlined menu—in a fava-flour lasagnette, wide noodles barely sauced with tarragon, oven-dried tomatoes, and tiny shrimp; in a light, vernal purée that anchors a crisp-skinned fillet of cod; and as a contorno: sautéed fava beans and pecorino. Ama’s cuisine might be born in poverty, but the setting isn’t. From its stark façade, which emits a bright, otherworldly glow, to its glossy white interior, the look is more New Age spa than wind-whipped Pugliese farmhouse. Its vibe (and clientele) seems more Madison Avenue than Macdougal Street, but its prices—save for a handful of wines by the glass, which wander boldly into the mid-teens—tether it firmly enough to Underground Gourmet territory. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

The excellent zucchini fritters make a nice appetizer for the table.

Octopus salad, $12; zuppa di pesce, $23

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New York Magazine Reviews

• Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld's Full Review (3/7/05)