Community Corner
Amber Café: Bites Nearby
Amber Café in Westmont prides itself on its ambiance, service and food.
Located in downtown Westmont, Amber Café has been called a “hidden gem in the suburbs.”
Reviews dub it the kind of restaurant you'd expect to be nestled into a city neighborhood with its small, well-decorated seating area that offers a romantic, intimate experience.
Amber is Zagat rated for its inspired American cuisine, prepared under the direction of Executive Chef Matt Vitucci.
Vitucci recently joined the Amber staff and brings his extensive experience with four-star restaurants, including Tru, Moto and Boka in Chicago, as well as his most recent position as executive chef at a Napa Valley winery.
Descriptions of signature entrees such as Superior whitefish with couscous, mushrooms, tomato and spinach in a lemon buerre blanc (butter reduced with white wine, vinegar and shallots) and Maine dry-packed scallops with green tea noodles, shiitake mushrooms, in a ginger plum sauce cause mouth-watering cravings.
Begin with an appetizer such as beef Carpaccio with a balsamic reduction, shaved manchego (a Spanish cheese) and arugula, a brie and pear salad with pear vinaigrette, and with your entrée, order sides of bourbon sweet potatoes and roasted beets and walnuts.
Vitucci decides on the specials every morning when he visits the fish market and purchases the items that appeal to him, so asking days in advance for weekend specials is fruitless.
The menu prices mean this is a special occasion spot for most, although some reviewers tag themselves as regular patrons.
During the summer, the charming back patio is available for seating with live music.
