AlmaA MUST!seaweed & tofu beignet amazing!
scallop w/housemade english muffin amazing!
summer corn soup amazing!
you cannot go wrong with the ny steak, jidori chicken, or grilled scallops (different from the previous listed scallop dish)
very special wine list! cool casual vibe w/exceptional culinary merit. watching the chef and his team is like being front and center at the worlds best ballets! and the cherry on top- the floor team, very nice, cheerful, helpful, and honest. i've been three times and looking forward to more!6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMwhat a little treasureEverything was so whimsically delicious and fun, new flavors that worked
Not just the same old set ups for the dishes, oh and I love all the different dishes, tiles and stone pieces that the food was served on
Vegetables barely touched but touched enough and served the way the way should be
Really great friendly service with good smiles6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMNice arrangement and handsNice arrangement and hands on care to food which is available to be seen in preparation from the kitchen. Very nice young staff who are enthusiastic and knowledgeable.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat little restaurantA fantastic neighbourhood restaurant tucked in a small corner at Olympic and Broadway. The food is inventive, fun, and most of all, delicious.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous findAlma lived up to all my expectations. Every dish we ordered was delectable and devouvered in seconds. My only suggestion would be the shelling beans could have been more tender. The rye bread puding was sublime and had a rich molasses flavour but is not a typical bread pudding. In fact nothing is predictable at Alma. Everything is a lovely delicious surprise. Kudos to the chefs behind Alma!6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMThe meal – corn soup, dungenessThe meal – corn soup, dungeness crab, scallops, & berry bread pudding – were all of terrific quality & beautifully presented. Each dish embodied unexpected & interesting combinations of tastes & textures. My first visit here was a year ago with a small group, where we had ordered the whole menu to try. This second visit didn't disappoint.
A reservation for 2 was easy to make for the evening of. The decor at Alma is beautiful & comfortable. The wait staff was attentive & great.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMTwice in a week...I brought a friend in and my second visit and it was as good/ maybe better than my first. Go with the tasting menu paired with the wines... you will not go wrong.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the Best....One of the best restaurants in downtown Los Angeles. Exquisite flavors, inventive menu, and professional but non-fussy service. Plus the place looks great. Excellent in every way.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMBlown away!A chef friend of mine recommended Alma to me. Based on his enthusiasm I had high yet realistic expectations... what we experienced blew us away. The service was personal and attentive... Ashleigh was amazing as was Lindsay. They did not miss a beat. We went with the tasting menu. Once we placed our order the food just kept coming out and each was unique, brimming with flavorful and artistically presented. Chef Ari's passion for food ant attention to detail are a unique combination that set him apart from most chefs. This is one of the best dining experiences I have had in a long time. We will be back!5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMbring your friends from out of townHad a great time at dinner saturday night at Alma with my friends visiting from NY. Everyone was great, very knowledgable and accomodating but the food is the real star. Great flavors, great presentation and I will be in again soon.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderfulWe had a wonderful meal at Alma. Every dish was carefully prepared, beautifully presented and full of flavor. The corn soup may have been our favorite of all the great dishes. Desserts were consistent with the rest of the meal. Prices are decent but many of the portions are not large- even the main dishes can be bordering on "small plates". For us that was perfect. Only complaint- wines ( a small but nice list) by the glass are a bit pricey.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding!Amazing food, delicious and creative. knowledgeable and attentive staff.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat taste, innovative menuDinner for five, one vegetarian, ordered about 80% of items on the menu. Amazing range of tastes, textures, ingredients, yet none fell flat or were off the mark. We had an excellent meal at Alma in the winter; this meal was even better. Very reasonably priced and interesting wines -- domestic and imported. We were visiting from San Francisco, so we have only a few other LA restaurants to compare, but it is hard to imagine that there is any table in LA with showing this quality and innovation at this price.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother amazing Alma ExperienceI first went to Alma's in July of 2012. Ari and the team dazzled my taste buds and us captivated by the robust flavor combinations.
It has almost been a year later and the menus is a little more refined. But the Flavor experience is just as captivating. Now with a collection of very good wines and sublet upgrades to the decor it was equally as pleasant. Ari however was away but his influences on the team continue to amaze.
I would strongly suggest adding this to your To-Do list you will not be disappointed.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderfully Clear Food VisionEvery dish was a culinary delight. As we ate through our courses, we continued to find something new to be impressed by: a cooking technique, layered flavors with high quality ingredients, or simply the presentation. Ari and his team have a clear vision and it shows! We loved our meal and will definitely be returning, and we'll be bringing all of our friends.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMMinimalist is the word thatMinimalist is the word that comes to mind when eating at Alma. Essential flavors, sparse furniture and pragmatic winelist. It is really a pleasure to eat here. If you are a fan of disproportionate amounts of food, do not go.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMOf the "new wave" of DowntownOf the "new wave" of Downtown restaurants with young talented chefs, this one really delivers without the attitude and arrogance of the others. We are looking for excuses to drive an hour to go back.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant has a soul!The most innovative restaurant in LA righ now. The food is quietly layered, each layer with a surprisngly crisp flavor and the whole is always better than the sum of its parts. Ari is a super star and I'm a fan4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMwonderful foodWonderful seasonal food in a pleasant modern atmosphere. We enjoyed the attention to detail and exquisite flavor with every dish served. We only wish we had had a chance to try an appetizer we ordered that went to another table...the servers did not realize their mistake even though the people next to us stated they had not ordered the dish...so there was a small breakdown in communication; however I was topped off with some extra wine as compensation, which was an appropriate gesture (although I would have liked to try at least a tiny bit of that appetizer dish!). We probably would not have been able to try the awesome buttermilk biscuit with pistachio paste and blueberry/meyer lemon sorbet desert if we had actually gotten it !4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMWe enjoyed the experienceWe enjoyed the experience very much. I had been there before and would recommend it to people who enjoy small plates to share where the food is very interesting, unusual combinations. The desserts are to die for.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMA really special place withA really special place with amazing food and a fantastic and unusual wine list. Lovely people, great service, a wonderful space where you can actually hear your table mates talk without shouting. The desserts are not to be missed.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMCauliflower prepared threeCauliflower prepared three ways garnished with sea urchin? I'll take it3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMThink European service, dinnerThink European service, dinner can easily become a 2 hour experience. Small plates were unique and filling - I loved the whipped cod roe! Don't miss out on dessert, or the great bread.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was innovative, excellentFood was innovative, excellent prepared, service was excellent.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat chef Ari does with simpleWhat chef Ari does with simple foods like vegetables is uncanny. The tastes textures and and flavours are amazing.
This is a small restaurant in a sort of beat up onld building that actually looks closed, but what they are preparing in the kitchen will open your eyes to a new breed of cuisine all from local suppliers.
Would book again first chance i get.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding, beautiful, andOutstanding, beautiful, and lovingly-prepared food. We truly felt like we were experiencing food as art. And unlike so many fancy restaurants that just rely on a lot of butter & garlic, the food at Alma really brought out the individual flavors of the ingredients and then harmonized them! Best of all: my stomach was happy at the end of the meal. Often when I eat out at restaurants, my tongue enjoys the meal, but my stomach ends up in knots. We will definitely be returning!!3/9/2013 12:00:00 AMVery cozy and charming; hipVery cozy and charming; hip w/o pretense. Very adventurous and tasty cuisine. Somewhat limited menu and the tiniest serving portions I think I've ever seen.2/7/2013 12:00:00 AM