You know what never happens on the Upper East Side? Aside from women aging gracefully? Walking into a restaurant that’s playing Lykke Li. But that’s what happened when we first walked into Amali. Let’s just say we got excited. You’ve probably heard us gripe about the lack of anything decent in this area, especially considering how much everything costs - I’m waiting on some stocks to mature just so I can have dinner at Daniel again. Amali isn’t much cheaper, but it’s solid. Welcome to the neighborhood. The idea at Amali is farm-to-table Mediterranean cuisine, which probably doesn’t tell you much, unless you’re a big fan of olives from upstate New York. What we can tell you is that the food is both interesting and delicious, which makes Amali stand out from the rest of the overpriced stalwarts of the Upper East Side. Add that up with a friendly staff and the aforementioned music selections, and you’ve got yourself a place we remain very high on, even after several years. Some tips - go heavy on the vegetables section of the menu, and order something you might not usually go for. Translation...skip the fish this time. You might as well get some excitement for your money.