Bob Gordon, June 2014

DINING OUT

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    Years back, when I first visited Alma de Cuba, I admit to being skeptical. The cool vibe and sophisticated air in this sleek tri-level is seductive. In digs like that, food can sometimes be an afterthought. That has never been the case at Alma de Cuba. In fact, I believe the fare is now more consistent and intriguing than ever.

    Tapas remain the heart and soul of the menu. Some are complicated constructions, some are simple. But all are coherent and beautifully presented. A number are atypical of what you find on the standard Cuban menu.

    Service and dining finesse here are topnotch. Gluten-free Columbian Rolls, plumped with queso fresco and yucca flour, greet the diner. Warm and hearty, they’re a typically nice touch, and often followed with an amuse bouche. We raved about a recent amuse bouche of tender octopus that was garnished with micro greens, fired with red pepper and onion, and roused with husky olive tapenade.

    On the Ceviche menu, Thai Mixto brings a vibrant conglomerate of crab, shrimp, octopus and fluke that’s spruced with coconut leche de tigre and mango. Asian-influenced Long Island Fluke is a gathering of yuzu, soy, ginger, sesame and jasmine pearls. Lenguado Al Fuego is an island-like teaming of habanero, kumquat and sugarcane al carbon, enlivened with sweet potato purée and punctuated with smoked sea salt. A bowl of popcorn accompanies the ceviche and provides a cleansing taste and texture.

    A full slate of appetizers range from signature Gloria’s Black Bean Soup through a litany of salads, tacos, empanadas, oysters, classic ropa vieja, and other choices. I love almond-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon and buttressed with bracy cabrales bleu cheese. Recently I tried Royal Palm Dates, which brought a couple of dates invitingly cupped in a duo of Belgian endives. Aesthetically, the dish is pleasing, but the dates are almost lost in the much larger endives, which don’t have much pizzazz on their own. Absent the bacon wrapping and bleu cheese, the taste of the latter dish fell short of the other date recipe.

    Smoked Albacore Tacos served on a bed of slivered iceberg lettuce get pop from pickled jalapeños. Fried malanga expands the textural interest. Octopus Escalivada showcases talented Chef Douglas Rodriguez’ skill in bringing out the elegance in a traditional peasant dish. Escalivada, which is essentially a roasted-vegetable dish, originated in Spain where it remains a menu fixture. In Rodriguez’ version, kalamata olives and capers partner brilliantly with the octopus. I recently returned from Spain—this dish surpasses any of the Iberian versions I tasted there.

    Admittedly, in past visits, I focused on tapas. Why wouldn’t I? The tapas are excellent. Good choices abound. But the main courses merit a visit on their own. Rum-Cured Duck Breast vies for the finest dish I’ve had this year. A huge slab of sliced duck set in a pool of creamy yucca, bolstered with duck vigoron and smoked currants. The duck is rimmed with a delicious pad of fat, and the rum-cured skin lends a scintilla of sweetness that takes the taste over the top. 

    Vaca Frita, a traditional Cuban dish, is also a sumptuous, balanced arrangement. Fork-tender skirt steak is buoyed flavorfully via hearty black beans, and tomato escabeche. Cuban Shrimp and Grits is a well balanced treat. Baby cilantro imbues spicy shrimp with subtle heat while lush cornmeal grits adds creamy lushness.

    The restaurant’s layout—its high ceilings and white walls punctuated with black and white photos—insinuates a relaxing openness throughout. The second floor is the primary dining space. The first floor is the bar and lounge area but you can dine there as well. Everything is evocative of old Havana that’s undergone a tasteful, noninvasive facelift.

    I’d be remiss not to mention the desserts and drinks, each a siren call to late-evening center-city denizens and ADC regulars. In such a romantic and festive Latin setting, you’d expect a jam-packed slate of beers, wines, and, especially, irresistible specialty drinks. And you'd be correct. So don’t resist the Havana Old Fashioned. As an inveterate lover of that ageless standard, I find that the addition of pomegranate seeds, orange and house-made “cigar” bitters makes this rendition a joy—just like all my visits to Alma de Cuba continue to be.

Alma de Cuba, 1623 Walnut Sreet, Philadelphia (215) 988-1799  www.almadecubarestaurant.com