THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Alma

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Alma Restaurant Review:

A very simple wooden storefront has but a minimal sign indicating its purpose, and upon entering the restaurant, most guests would be convinced they’re in the wrong location. Alma’s sparse dining room comprises a small banquette and an equally slight bar area. Interpret this as a signal: eating here has nothing to do with the Hollywood scene or any multi-million-dollar designer décor. Alma is about the food. After a year of à la carte offerings, 28-year-old chef Ari Taymor has transitioned into a prix-fixe menu, offering both five- and nine-course options ($75 & $110). For “snacks” (essentially amuse-bouche), guests will find Taymor’s signature seaweed and tofu beignets, which are offset by a kick from yuzu kosho and lime, while a trifecta of toast toppings --- uni, burrata and caviar --- is unified by a finish of licorice herbs. Included in the menu might be a soup, perhaps a summer corn soup with vadouvan and nasturtium flowers, or a sunchoke purée poured over dates and a slow-cooked egg, dusted with amaranth seeds. Duck liver mousse may be frozen and broken into shards that melt in your mouth, complemented with smoked maple, carrots and coffee granola, a dish that showcases Taymor’s ability to juxtapose various textures, flavors and temperatures. That skill also goes into a warm salad of braised radicchio, crab, smoky breadcrumbs and a contemporary take on béarnaise sauce. Like the rest of the menu, desserts vary nightly, but diners can expect options such as buttermilk cake with blood orange and candied fennel or a brilliantly hued carrot sorbet paired with chamomile cream. Co-owner/wine director Ashleigh Parsons oversees the wine list, which features producers focused on biodynamic and organic practices. Prices are surprisingly reasonable, with many options under $60.