Critically-acclaimed chef Brad Kilgore recently unveiled his latest venture: a hidden speakeasy dubbed AMA.
AMA opened January 24 and is located inside Kaido, Kilgore’s recently opened Japanese-inspired cocktail lounge located in Miami’s Design District. The sultry space, designed by Mark Diaz, boasts blue and gold shimmering floors and vintage Japanese Pachinko gaming machines. According to Kilgore, the Japanese word ama translates to mermaid but it is also “the term for the women that free dive for sea urchin off of areas like Hokkaido in northern Japan.” The sea urchin concept is seen throughout the space, and there is even a chandelier in Kaido that is crafted out of 1,200 golden butterfly knives to represent a sea urchin.
Kilgore admits he is not a trained sushi chef, so the menu won’t feature traditional omakase that is focused on sushi. Instead, he says he will serve “Ama-kase,” which is his interpretation of the Japanese style of eating. In addition to Kaido, Kilgore is also the owner and chef of Alter and Ember—which is part of Kilgore Culinary Group with AMA and Kaido. Kilgore is also the culinary director of the Adrienne Arsht Center where he has his signature restaurant, Brava by Brad Kilgore.
The speakeasy features eight seats and Kilgore will serve a 16-course menu priced at $120 per person. The menu, which Kilgore says will change frequently and reflect the seasons, will feature items such as hash brown nigiri with uni and black truffle, bone marrow chawanmushi with pine needle salt and cider beef jus, and foie-kigori with jackfruit—which Kilgore notes will be a play on kakigōri, Japanese shaved ice. He adds that he is creating a dessert inspired by traditional milk and cookies but he will be using okinawa kokuto, pure Japanese brown sugar, to make a sesame ganache cookie that will be paired with nigori sake for an “unfiltered ‘milky sake.’”
“I had an amazing experience with kaiseki [a multi-course Japanese dinner] in Kyoto, I will definitely take some inspiration from that,” he says. “There is such a respect for the ingredients in that region.”
As for drinks, Kilgore partnered with renowned mixologist Nico de Soto to create a beverage menu that incorporates Asian flavors. “One that I am very excited for is the Kobe fat wash Toki whisky with pear syrup and sesame bitters,” Kilgore says. “It pairs with the matsutake mushroom that is poached with Kobe beef fat. Kenishi is an incredible drink that combines, Japanese whisky, Pedro Ximénez sherry, matcha soy and white soy sauce.” AMA also boasts a rare vintage Japanese whiskey collection that dates back as far as 1963, he adds.
The reservation-only restaurant currently offers two seatings a week at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and Kilgore says the eatery sold out the first two months within three days. However, he says he will open up more reservations soon, and he plans to add at least one additional service and potentially more seating.
“We truly believe there isn’t anything like AMA,” Kilgore says. “Since it isn’t a traditional omakase it allows us to offer new and intriguing ideas in a non-traditional way.”
