ANIMA Design

A new progressive Spanish and Italian restaurant from the Edo Tapas team heads to the Gramercy in December | Eater Vegas

"Planned to open in December at the Gramercy, Anima is the new project from the team behind Edo Gastro Tapas & Wine, pairing Oscar Amador with Francesco di Caudo while Roberto Liendo and Joseph Mikulich join as manager/partner and sommelier/partner. The restaurant is being positioned as a frontierless, progressive-style spot with no classical dishes, blending Italian and Spanish techniques with Asian ingredients and exploring flavors from around the world rather than offering classic Spanish fare. Menu highlights described include a risotto with Carabineros shrimp from Spain and yuzu; a reinvented 'bikini' sandwich made with brioche pressed with sopressata and Mahón cheese; a thinly sliced carpaccio served with puri bread and payoyo cheese topped with a black truffle vinaigrette; pastas, select tapas, and large-format plates available a la carte or via a tasting menu designed for shareable, interactive dining. The team plans an open kitchen, a 90-seat dining room that retains an industrial feel softened with burgundies, grays, and dark chocolates for a 'beautiful, but not intimidating' atmosphere, upfront seafood and charcuterie stations, a small chef's table, and a 10-seat secluded private dining room, with lunch and dinner served daily. The bar will emphasize gin and tonics, sherries, amari, and Negronis, and a 150-label wine cellar will focus on Spanish and Italian wines with about 30 percent from around the world." - Susan Stapleton