In the hands of General Manager Jessica Evans, poached from New World Bistro Bar in Albany, the space has been wrenched into eclectic shape with steel girders, Dumpster-dive finds, folkloric dancing-skull murals and hand-painted Mexican floor tiles.
[...] Ama Cocina seems to be driven by an F-word:
Tricked out in diamond-plate metal, exposed ceiling ducts, hand-sawn wood panels and a food truck-style window embedded in a wall (actually from a 1960s-era passenger bus), this split-level, mixed-media vision spilled directly from Evans' mind.
Tacos (two for $7) come in a half-dozen palate-inspiring flavors; think braised peach pork with "cactus crunch," fried chicken liver with bacon jam, and shredded smoked chicken with mole, pickled tomatillo and fun, crisped black beans.
A sweet version ($10) mixes up an apple-jicama-cider reduction; the Savory ($11) pairs Valdéon, a Spanish blue cheese, with hot sauce and peppers.
A sugary carapace cracks over worryingly mushy avocado fries, but crunchy kale sprouts ($7) are addictive little nubs tossed in preserved lime, balsamic, pumpkin seeds and salty cotija.
Or just channel your inner hipster with the "Pancho and Lefty" ($7), a sweetened cold brew tequila slow-dripped through coffee grounds and served over a giant ice cube.
Evans set the tone with her feisty, industrial space, the tequila list is worthy of a tasting room, and Frese delivers modern Mexican fusion from the kitchen.
