From The Boot

Has Ambler become the new Main Street Manayunk?

With chic Dettera restaurant, the recent expansion of Bridget’s, and From the Boot right across the avenue from The Shanachie and the new B.Y.O.B. Massa, it is starting to look and feel like it.

If you add in Act II Playhouse and the Ambler Cinema, I think it is surpassing Manayunk as a dining and entertainment center.

From the Boot owners Bob Devine and Nick, Marc and Nicole Ciaffone opened their first, much smaller From the Boot in Lafayette Hill, which is still going strong after more than 10 years; it has an almost cult-like following.

The newer Ambler location occupies the space that had housed Agave Grill.  When it opened two years ago, I wrote, “It is hard to prognosticate the restaurant business, but I’ll go out on a limb and predict that From the Boot will have a successful, long future here.”

Well, it’s still going strong.

This Italian comfort food bistro is in my home turf, and my LDC (Lovely Dining Companion) and I have been there fairly often.

On our most recent visit, a Thursday night, I was amazed at the full-house turnout. The 85- to 100-seat main dining room and bar is finished in soothing earth tones, with a huge map of the so-called “boot” of the Italian mainland and of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica. My LDC thinks it has a Center City feel.

Our attentive server, Jennifer, came over promptly after we were seated at the long “community table,” which runs down the center of the space. She enthusiastically recited several specials, which were featured in addition to the large menu.

For my main course, I ordered a favorite Italian entrée, pasta and calamari in tomato sauce. Interestingly enough, I had ordered it on my first visit two years ago, found the sauce boringly bland, and had to liven it up with a few shakes of the red pepper flakes.

This time, perhaps influenced by my earlier comments, the kitchen almost over-corrected, going rather far in spicing it generously with red pepper. Oddly, however, by the next day, when I had the leftovers for lunch, the sauce had mellowed out to just about right for me.

My LDC hit the taste jackpot by going for the special, pan-seared salmon over linguini in a white wine marinara sauce. The salmon was perfectly cooked, the pasta was al dente, and the sauce was similar to a classic puttanesca and was redolent with fresh tomato, olives and capers.

On our earliest visit, we had ordered up a small order of bruschetta ($5). A deep bowl with coarse chopped Roma tomatoes marinated in vinaigrette, garlic and basil filled the bottom, and toasted Italian slices standing around the sides, proved quite excellent.

The house salad ($9) we shared next during this prior visit had very fresh romaine, tomato, red onion and pitted olives (too few). The highlight was a generous amount of an exceptionally mild gorgonzola, with a good creamy vinaigrette.

On another occasion, we went for happy hour and sat at the bar. After a glass of white for my LDC and a Stella for me, we ordered as a snack-to-go the spinach and shrimp salad ($14) with Portobello mushroom, plum tomato, prosciutto, shaved pecorino Romano and olive oil. What an inspired combination of ingredients. Each and every one is a favorite of mine, but they are rarely seen all together in one dish. Fabulous. 

The Boot’s wide-ranging, neighborhood-friendly menu also offers all the favorites of a local pizza and steak shop, so two can have a casual dinner—such as a pizza and soft drinks—for under $20, and in a much nicer ambiance.  It can be quite noisy on busy nights, but the hubbub can be part of the fun if you loosen up with a drink or two.

The attractively refurbished ambiance and solid Italian food earn it a well deserved overall rating of mmmm (out of 5 m’s).

To contact Mitch Davis, email him at MdavisMainCourse@aol.com.

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The Main Course at From the Boot

Location: 110 E. Butler Ave., Ambler

Phone:  215-646-0123

Website: www.fromtheboot.com

Cuisine: Italian