The Shutter: 4 Year-Old Deathwatched Ama Calls it a Day (With UPDATE!)

Soho: Ama—a small, bright, spa-like Italian spot on MacDougal—opened to much fanfare back in 2005. Owner Donatella Arpaia pitched it as an ode to her mother, the Robs loved it, and for a time, things looked promising. But the space was never right, both in terms of location and design; Donatella jumped ship; and the restaurant struggled to earn a local following. She made the Deathwatch a year later after Arpaia's departure, but credit where it's due— the restaurant lasted three years longer than predicted. Now, who wants a vacant space on the Soho fringe?
· Deathwatch: Ama [~E~]
UPDATE: Owner Turibio Girardi writes int to tell us he plans to reopen.