Category: FoodPrint-Twin Cities

Restaurant:
Restaurant Alma

Address:
528 University Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN, 55414

Category:
American

Average:
$60-80/person

Review:
Restaurant Alma is considered one of the most highly reviewed restaurants in Minnesota and it was very exciting for me to try it out for the first time. Walking into the restaurant, what struck me first was the rusty, modern ambience of it. With the exposing bricks on the wall and pipes on the ceiling, this restaurant definitely gives out a young and vibrant vibe. Seating was on time and service was quick. Being pleasantly surprised, I was excited to try the food.

I tried out their $55 three courses tasting menu. The first course I had was Salmon Tartare. This is an absolutely incredible dish. The plating was neat and presentation of the salmon tartare was clear. Raw salmon marinated with a vinegar based sauce was nicely paired with avocado to form the main body of the dish. Acidity from the creme fraîche on the side really nicely cut through the fish and gave the dish a much higher complexity. The sesame seeds on top of the salmon tartare certainly added a crunch to the bite and made it more playful of a dish.

Second course I had was Turmeric Marinated Halibut. This is a quite interesting dish. The halibut was marinated with turmeric, which gave it a light ginger flavor. Paired with the nam prik, halibut was well cooked and seasoned with the proper amount of acidity and spiciness. The rice noodle was a little disappointing. It didn’t have the bite that I was looking for and a little bit more seasoning might make a big different. But in general, it still matched well the the halibut and made this a decent dish.

The third course was Crispy Pork Belly. The serving size was quite small and I didn’t expect that for the main entree. I always believe that pork belly it the finest cut from a pig. However, it is also very difficult to get it right. Restaurant Alma certainly did a good job with the pork belly itself. Three layers of taste were obtained from this dish: skin was crispy with a nutty flavor, fat melted instantly in my mouth, and meat was tender and chewy. The razor clam broth was a interesting match for the pork belly and the fava beans were perfect served in this broth. However, I didn’t enjoy the use of garlic breadcrumb here. The breadcrumb was placed on the pork belly and eventually got mixed up in the broth and became quite soggy. That was not a pleasant texture to have on the side of a delicious pork belly. In general, it is still an innovative dish.

After three courses, I ended my meal with my dessert selection of White Chocolate Mousse. This turned out to be a delightful choice. Caramel tuile was crispy and had a not so strong caramel flavor, which complemented the mousse really well. Nuts added certain complexity to the taste of the white chocolate. But the most impressive part was the white chocolate mousse itself. Usually I am not a fan of white chocolate because I consider it to be too sweet. However, this mousse really surprised me. The mousse was quite creamy but not too sweet and the texture was between butter and sponge. It was absolutely delicious.

In general, Restaurant Alma is a decent dining choice for people who are looking for a quality meal in the twin cities area. The restaurant is quite innovative and its food definitely lives up to its name in the region. Clean cut decor, decent service and proper food, Restaurant Alma certainly is a good choice for diners.