Restaurant Alma

The visit to Restaurant Alma on my birthday courtesy of one of my best and oldest friends completed visits to all of the 2008 James Beard Foundation Award nominees from Minnesota. Brasa is the other restaurant owned by Alex Roberts, which we love.

The space was quite pleasant, albeit a bit louder than I expected. That said, despite the constant din it was possible to have a conversation at a normal level. It was also very easy to hear nearby tables' conversations. The layout of the space was perfect for the location with a bar, open kitchen, and adequately separated seating, along with a loft area for more diners and (I imagine) private events.

Alma does not have a full bar, but they do have an extensive wine list and a selection of beer. My patron unfortunately was not feeling well so we settled on glasses of gruner veltliner.

Alma arranges their menu as a three course tasting menu for USD 45, however all items are available a la carte as well. For our first course we both chose bison tartar, served with a few croquettes and capers on a lightly spiced sauce. It was gently seasoned and quite the experience.

For our second course we diverged. He had a pasta that I don't recall except I know it had sausage in it. It was good, but unremarkable. I had a light soup of sticky rice and roasted shiitake mushrooms in a coconut milk sauce with bok choy and shallots. The broth was pleasantly spicy and the dish as a whole was quite good.

For our third course we both chose the pheasant. It was served with glazed carrots and red potatoes with a carrot sauce. While it wasn't mind-blowing, it was perfectly prepared, reminiscent of a home-cooked meal. That is, if your mother was a professional chef.

Service was pleasant and swift. I'm going to take the time to note that all the servers with the exception of the man behind the bar pouring wine were female and noticeably attractive. The experience as a whole was enough to show why Alma is considered one of the best restaurants in the Midwest.

Website: http://www.restaurantalma.com/