I’m usually wary about a restaurant that borrows from a slew of cuisines, and Alma Kitchen boasts dishes from Mexico, India, Korea, Italy, the Cajun South, and the soul food tradition. One dish was invented in San Francisco and served mainly in American-Chinese restaurants. But an East Side friend raved about their seafood crepes, so I said sure. I’m trying to relax into a “more the merrier” vibe.
Turns out Alma Kitchen does quite a creditable job of making food taste good, whether or not the dishes match what would be served in a mono-ethnic spot. Chef-owner Gary Mui (with Alicia Sanchez) tends to pile on the ingredients and the flavors, so “more the merrier” it is. Brie is big.
Those crepes, with salmon, shrimp, and lobster, are a bit smokey, one tangy flavor, possibly from the sherry in the sauce. I complimented my friend on her good taste. A large serving of salmon stuffed with crab and shrimp was crusty in the exterior, very soft within, served with carrots and creamy risotto, again one good flavor.
Bibimbap was less successful, or at least way different from any bibimbap I’ve known — full of butternut squash and zucchini, heavier than I think bibimbap should be. But if the translation of bibimbap is “mixed rice with meat and assorted vegetables,” then that’s what I got. It’s not spicy at all.
Those are some of the many entrée-type dishes, which also include pastas, mac and cheese, fried rice, chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and a chicken hash. But Alma is also known for its brunch and breakfast dishes, some served 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and some all day.
The waffles-pancakes-French toast column is almost too rich to read: churro waffles, waffles with strawberries and white chocolate mousse, tres leches pancakes with toasted marshmallow. For those who prefer savory to sweet for the first meal of the day, the choices are equally intriguing: how about “El Benny,” where eggs Benedict are served with chorizo and pico de gallo and the Hollandaise is flavored with chipotle? My favorite here was the quesadilla, where super-tender scrambled eggs are stuffed into four samosa-like triangles (fried flour tortillas) along with poblanos, corn, and Chihuahua queso. The tomatillo salsa on the side is the very best, where the fire doesn’t cover up the fresh green flavors.
I was less happy with Huevos Alma, which was said to include chicken tortilla soup, I assumed on the side. Sadly, there’s no soup per se but just tortilla chips softened in broth, topped with lots and lots of potatoes and a little chicken and chickpeas. It was easily enough for two, maybe three.
I also tried a couple of “shareables.” Warm Cider Shrimp Flatbread includes Brie, fresh cherries, butternut squash, peppers, and bacon, and yes, you do taste all those busy things, and it’s sweet despite the tang of the cheese. Very sticky; use your fork. Shrimp and Crab Rangoon, stuffed dough triangles in a sweet-and-sour sauce, substitutes Brie for the traditional cream cheese (this is the one invented at Trader Vic’s in San Francisco), and mostly tastes of it.
A pulled pork sandwich on brioche is advertised as MI Cherry BBQ, and I did discover some fragments of pits! But it was rich and succulent, a tad sweet, more than a tad bright, infinitely satisfying, with a creamy apple slaw, so much more interesting than cabbage.
Alma’s desserts shine. I could not stop eating the perfect warm churros, shaped like doughnuts, light as could be, although I was already full from that giant huevos bowl. Definitely shareable by two. And the carrot cake is the moistest you will ever find, made with pineapple, walnuts, and a thick layer of filling that’s like New York cheesecake.
I was without a designated driver on my two Alma visits so could not enjoy their delicious-sounding drinks. One mixes Detroit City gin with lemon juice and sparkling wine. There’s Sangria and four types of “Alma Mi Mosa” (goes with brunch) and a MI Chelada (Michelada) with Modelo, spiced tomato juice, and lime. Butter Rum Coffee and an espresso martini feel like cold-weather choices.
Alma’s décor is spare and graceful, with an ornate pressed-tin ceiling and silver-colored chairs, an open and airy feel with plenty of windows on Mack Avenue. It’s casual and friendly.
“Alma” is Spanish for “soul.” I felt that perhaps the kitchen didn’t quite have an identity, but it did have soul.
Before you calculate a tip, note that 20% has already been added to your bill.
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