Words by Elaine Wu
For husband-and-wife team Ajay Walia and Reena Miglani, their new restaurant Amara in Belmont is a true passion project. “The Peninsula has been home for us for the last 25 years and we want to create places where we ourselves would like to dine. We want to add to the vibrancy of our community. We want it to feel like home.”
The couple settled in Chicago 35 years ago from their native India to attend graduate school. It was there that Ajay spent several years helping a good friend with running his restaurants, becoming deeply involved in the business. After relocating to the Bay Area to work for Oracle, Ajay felt a void from not managing the day-to-day aspects of an eatery. So when he got laid off, the couple decided to open a restaurant of their own.
Now, with over two decades of experience operating Saffron in San Carlos, and the recently reopened Rasa in Burlingame, they say their third restaurant, Amara, is a culmination of everything they’ve learned. “Our restaurants are like our kids,” says Reena. “You’re always a little harsher with the first one. Every mistake and your heart breaks. With the second one (Rasa), as long as it’s not too serious, they’re fine. Our newest restaurant feels like our grandchild. We’re giving up a little bit of control but we’ve learned so much.”
“It’s not just about good food and good service,” Ajay adds. “With Amara, we’ve been very intentional about the art of hospitality. It’s about attention to details so our customers know this is a special place.”
The Mediterranean menu and design aesthetic may seem like a departure from their other eateries, but for them, it felt like a natural choice. “We wanted to do something different,” Ajay says. “We’ve always loved traveling to the Mediterranean as a family.”
“We feel like life goes at a simpler, slower pace there,” recalls Reena. “The way they present their food is with the least amount of treatment using the freshest ingredients so you can taste their true flavors. That’s what we’re trying to do here at Amara.”
Initially, the restaurant’s large footprint gave Reena a bit of anxiety. “The space is so big, so I didn’t want it all to look the same, like a cafeteria,” she states. “We wanted to bring design elements of the Mediterranean region in a subtle way to every room, so we needed different shapes, colors and materials. When I closed my eyes, all these elements worked together, but the night before all the furniture was going to be delivered, I was very afraid. What if it looked like a circus?”
But just as she had originally envisioned, it all works together perfectly, creating a relaxed yet stunning aesthetic that transports guests to a different environment. As a result, the space is perfect for intimate date nights, a girls’ night out, or a large party celebrating a milestone. “Now that the restaurant is open and people appreciate it, I feel like people are saying my baby is so beautiful,” Reena says excitedly. “Maybe I’m just here for the compliments!”
The large bar with its stunning jade-green marble top and inventive drinks make it a great after-work meeting spot. And the menu of surprising spreads, sharable small plates and hearty entrees offers a variety of items to suit a multitude of tastes. “My mom’s favorite is the muhammara,” Reena says happily. It’s a spread with roasted red peppers, walnuts and pomegranate molasses. “When she comes by, she says she wants her own and licks the bowl when no one is looking.”
And while Ajay says he’s a sucker for the restaurant’s roasted rack of lamb, Reena has her own favorites. “I like the black hummus a lot, with its curry leaves. It’s got a surprising flavor. And I just love the branzino with its crispy skin. Oh, and I love the quail, too.”
Ajay and Reena are committed to elevating the dining experience beyond just food. Their long journey as restaurant owners hasn’t stopped them from learning and evolving, even taking notes from legendary restaurateur Danny Meyer. “He says, ‘You can have good restaurants but can you be a ‘favorite’ restaurant?’” Ajay asks himself. “We’re making ‘favorite’ restaurants both for ourselves and, hopefully, our guests as well.”
fresh favorites – amararestaurants.com
MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE TZATZIKI WITH LABNEH Ingredients 1½ cups labneh (see note) 1½ cups plain yogurt ¾ cup cucumber, grated 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for garnish 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon sumac 1 teaspoon parsley or cilantro, chopped Grate the cucumber, then squeeze out the excess liquid using a clean kitchen towel. In a bowl, mix the labneh, yogurt, grated cucumber, minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle with sumac and chopped parsley or cilantro. Note: To make labneh, line a colander or sieve with two layers of cheesecloth and set into a larger bowl. Add 2 cups of Greek yogurt and let it strain in the refrigerator overnight. Squeeze gently and discard liquid.