When you’re looking for a good aperitif to go with your Italian meal, you can’t go wrong with vermouth. This classic liquor has been a favorite for the aperitif course in Italy for a long time. It comes in the form of a wine, mixed with an assortment of herbs to give it additional flavor. Because of this, some people know it as fortified wine. Fans of the drink appreciate it for its sweet, refreshing taste.

The origins of vermouth can be traced back to late in the eighteenth century. It was at this time that it was largely used in Italy as a tonic drink, due to the medicinal properties of the herbs used in its fortification. These herbs often include coriander, cinnamon, cloves, juniper, nutmeg, marjoram, orange peel, and wormwood. Since the German word for wormwood is wermutkraut, it is this herb that gave the drink its name.

At Amaro Bistro, you can enjoy a delicious sweet vermouth with your meal. Consider visiting our Bothell Italian restaurant for your next outing!

A good pasta meal can fill you up quickly, resulting in a lot of leftovers. Unfortunately, noodles don’t generally keep to well. If you’ve ever re-heated pasta before, you may have found that your noodles either get too soggy or dry out in the microwave.

So, how can you make the most out of your Bothell Italian restaurant leftovers? Try making a pasta frittata!

• Beat five eggs, then mix them with two tablespoons of chopped parsley, a quarter teaspoon of ground pepper, a half teaspoon of salt, and a cup of grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. Mix well.
• Put four tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and warm them to medium heat. Put three quarters of a pound of pasta leftovers into the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Let the pasta cook for one or two minutes.
• Pour the eggs over the pasta, allowing it to distribute evenly.
• 18Cover the pasta and let it cook for about ten minutes on low heat, until the eggs are firm and the bottom has a golden brown color. After this, flip the frittata and cook it for another five minutes, uncovered.

Ciabatta is an Italian word that translates to “slipper”; the name is also applied to a distinctive type of Italian bread, which has earned the name “slipper bread” for its slipper-like shape. It tends to be short, wide, and long, which has made it a popular choice for sandwiches throughout the world. Taste-wise, it is known to have a moist crumb and a crisp, crackly crust. It is often the bread of choice for paninis, the classic grilled Italian sandwiches.

Numerous regions throughout Italy claim to be the birthplace of ciabatta. Indeed, the bread is highly versatile, and different regions will have their own variations. Some will add herbs or olives to their recipes so that it resembles focaccia. Others bake it with milk for ciabatta al latte. There are also whole wheat versions.

At our Italian restaurant in Bothell, you can experience the great taste of ciabatta in the form of our Amaro burger or our pollo grigliato, both of which are served on a ciabatta bun. Come and try it tonight at Amaro Bistro!

Join us for Dine Around Seattle at Amaro Bistro!

From March 6 – 31st, Sundays through Thursdays, enjoy a 3-Course Lunch for $18 and a 3-Course Dinner for $33.

Make your reservations today!

*click for enlarged image

“Antipasto” is an Italian word that translates into English as “before the meal”. It essentially describes an appetizer course, coming in the form of a small course early in the meal for diners to partake of while they wait on their main dishes. In an Italian household, the antipasto course may be a casual thing wherein they get a bit of salami, cheese, and bread out of the refrigerator while their meal is prepared. On more special occasions, the hostess may plan a more elaborate antipasto course with meat, fish, vegetables, and breads, the likes of which you might expect in an Italian restaurant.

When you dine out in Italy, you can generally expect some variety of antipasti. There may be a buffet, or you may be able to order up an appetizer from the kitchen. Some of the finer restaurants will make more of an event out of their antipasti, offering some elaborate specialty dishes to whet your appetite.

At Amaro Bistro in Bothell, we offer a variety of quality antipasto dishes. Try some sauteed calamari, beef tenderloin, bruschetta, white prawns, and more!

Amaro Bistro will be offering a special holiday menu for both Saturday and Sunday for Valentine’s Day weekend, February 13th and 14th, 2016.

(click menu below to view larger image)

Pancetta is, in many ways, similar to conventional bacon. In fact, it is not uncommon to see one used in place of the other. However, pancetta is a distinctly different item with properties that make it a stronger choice for certain dishes.

Pancetta is like bacon in the sense that it also comes in the form of pork belly meat. What makes it different is how it is prepared. Bacon is invariably cut into thin strips, while pancetta will either appear as a thin strip or be cut into small cubes. Further, pancetta is cured with salt and possibly an assortment of spices and aromatics to give it the enticing flavor that fans love it for, while bacon is cured and smoked. Chefs will reach for bacon when they want to give their dishes a smokier flavor, and reserve pancetta for a flavorful but non-smoky alternative.

You can try the great taste of pancetta for yourself at our Italian restaurant in Bothell in the form of our grilled chicken romaine salad, prepared with chicken breast, whole leaf romaine, kalamata olives, tomatoes, sweet peppers, parmesan, and pancetta.

Heart disease is a scary concept, one that is lurking around the corner for many of us. Fortunately, doing the right thing for your heart does not always have to mean cutting back on the things we love. According to a recent scientific study, you can do wonders for your heart by simply dunking your Italian bread in olive oil.

This study took a selection of participants and added twenty milliliters of olive oil to their daily diets. After as little as six weeks, it was found that the subjects experienced a dramatic improvement in the chemical signals in their bodies linked to coronary artery diseases. To enjoy these same benefits yourself, you only need to include a modest amount of olive oil in your diet; this may amount to a modest olive oil-based salad dressing, or the small amount you might get by dipping your bread into the oil.

If you’re looking for other delicious ways to make olive oil a bigger part of your diet, come and visit our Italian restaurant in Bothell. You can find this heart-healthy oil on our margherita pizza, our caprese amaro, and other old favorites.