New in Amarillo: Enjoy seafood, Italian and tapas at 3 new restaurants

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - New in Amarillo returns with a look at the latest restaurants in town.

Spring break for some schools in the area started this week, and we may be able to help you if your looking for new restaurants to try during the break.

Hook and Reel

If you enjoy cajun seafood and want a refreshing drink to wash it down, Hook and Reel may be the right choice for you.

Hook and Reel, located at 45th Avenue and Bell Street, is a franchise that started in Massachusetts and specializes in cajun boils, po’boy sandwiches and specialty drinks that come straight from New Orleans.

“We provide flounder and it comes in a nice huge filet...I also have shrimp that comes in head on, head off,” said Andrea Jackson, general manager. “Our cajun mudbugs, or the crawfish that comes in and then we’ve got muscles, we’ve got calamari...everything comes in fresh every single day.”

Hook and Reel also offers a custom boil, so you can mix and match the seafood of your choice.

“What we like to provide is a fun atmosphere for a family to come in as if you were in Louisiana,” said Jackson. “Come in, get dirty with it, get down with it. We provide bibs, we provide gloves for the family. Not only do the babies get messy, the adults do too.”

Valore Italian Restaurant and Grill

Next stop, if you’re in the downtown area and craving some Italian food, Valore Italian Restaurant and Grill is located on 900 South Tyler Street.

The Italian restaurant offers pasta, pizza as well as many different kinds of sauces.

“We have some chipotle sauce, you can order it with any meet, shrimp, salmon, chicken,” said Juan Lopes, owner. “Also, we have creamy mozzarella sauce.”

All of the food is freshly grilled every day, and the owner takes pride on the big portions offered.

“For summertime, we have a big patio outside. We’re going to have live music, all that kind of stuff,” said Lopez.

Savor Tapas Bar

If you want to try the newest flavors around town and the only tapas bar experience in Amarillo, visit Savor Tapas Bar on Hillside.

“In the culinary world, it’s (tapas) called small plates, shareable plates and that’s what we have here in front of you is plates that you can share with one or two people,” said Alberto Vargas, executive chef at Savor Tapas Bar.

Some special items on the menu that are fan favorites include beef carpaccio, shrimp, brussel sprouts, escargot, a burnt basque and more.

The restaurant wants visitors to step outside of Amarillo and into another place entirely, like Spain.

“You start with your charcuterie boards, then you go to your cold tapas, then your hot tapas, we have salads and then you go to your entrees, and then you finish up with your dessert,” said Vargas.

Stay tuned for the next New in Amarillo.

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