Alma de Cuba's fa‡ade is painted a pale yellow, its name is displayed as nonchalantly as possible next to the imposing white door. Stepping through the threshold takes the diner into a completely unexpected interior. Red light strips across the ceiling and ultra modern tables and chairs make this place so Stephen Starr--but in a good way.
A first glance at the menu reveals the names of the entire restaurant staff underneath the food listings, giving the diner a feeling of familiarity as well as that of a casting call, revealing that no detail has been overlooked in the restaurant design.
With mojitos quickly replacing the cosmopolitan as the trendy drink of choice, their quality is often watered down, the mint leaves are rarely crushed and they take on the taste of the common well drink. At Alma de Cuba this is thankfully not the case, these mojitos are some of the best in the city.
The menu is succinct and impressive, appetizers range in price from $8 to $15 and in variety from salads to empanadas. The trio of soups option allows the diner to taste all three of the house soups for only $12.
The Royal Palm Salad, hearts of palm and endive with cocunut gelee ($12) is light and delicious. Four date and bacon wrapped almonds decorate the corners of the plate, smothered in blue cheese dressing and baked long enough that the textures have fused together. Eating the entire thing in one bite is an explosion of tastes ranging from sweet to bitter to salty--the combination of which is delicious.
On the menu, entrees are divided into meats and fish. The Muscovy duck breast ($22), which comes with a suggestion of medium rare preparation, is thinly cut and covered in a tangy boniato puree with sauteed mustard greens. The pumpkin seed encrusted scallops ($18) are so large that they barely leave room for dessert and the Plaintain crusted Halibut ($26) will leave you full for days.
But dessert is something that must be experienced to be believed. The chocloate cigar($8)sounds enticing on the menu, but its full effect is unrealized until it arrives at the table, an almond cake wrapped in the most decadent of chocolates and lightly dusted with coconut powder complete with cigar wrapped and candy matched in a cookie matchbook. Homemade dulce de leche ice cream comes on the side. The restaurant boasts three home made ice creams and three homemade sorbets (tamarind vanilla, mango ginger lime and mocha) nightly.
Alma de Cuba offers a unique dining experience with taste. It avoids the kitsch so often found in Cuban restaurants and puts all of its energy into creating a menu that is diverse, upscale and incredibly tasty.
