A dynasty that has operated popular Bay Area Mexican restaurants for nearly 40 years is preparing to open its most ambitious spot yet.
Called Amado, the newest from chef Gloria Dominguez and her family will open in downtown Burlingame, at 1100 Burlingame Ave., in February. It will feature a lineup of seldom-seen regional Mexican dishes inside a modern space channeling Mexico City’s contemporary restaurants.
Amado’s menu intends to span the whole of Mexico, a shift from the more region-specific restaurants that have landed stateside — such as Oaxacan and Sonoran restaurants — over the past decade. Expect a menu with scallop aguachiles reminiscent of Baja California; Puebla’s chiles en nogada, a mincemeat-stuffed Poblano pepper bathed in a creamy sauce and covered in pomegranate seeds; and specialties from her native Jalisco like goat birria and tortas ahogadas, the sandwiches drowned in a spicy salsa.
Dominguez and her family have been working on opening Amado for over a year. During this time, she frequently traveled to Mexico to research region-specific dishes to bring into the upcoming restaurant. “I spent time with traditional cooks in small villages, and with chefs in Toluca and Puebla to get a better idea of what these dishes are like,” she said…