  Given a complex algebraic hypersurface~$H$, we introduce a polyhedral complex
which is a subset of the Newton polytope of the defining polynomial for~$H$ and
enjoys the key topological and combinatorial properties of the amoeba of~$H.$
We provide an explicit formula for this polyhedral complex in the case when the
spine of the amoeba is dual to a triangulation of the Newton polytope of the
defining polynomial. In particular, this yields a description of the polyhedral
complex when the hypersurface is optimal.
