Local Honduran Bites
Alma Cafe has been known for its stellar breakfast and lunch dishes since 2015 when it first opened on a sunny, serene corner in the Bywater. Regulars love ordering the tried-and-true dishes and getting to know Executive Chef/Owner Melissa Araujo, a James Beard: Best Chef South 2024 semifinalist, when she walks between tables and asks the patrons for their opinions. Those loyal customers may have been the ones to convince Chef Melissa to venture into dinner service so that she could flex her Honduran culinary heritage and her creativity in new ways.
A chef preferring early day service over night service after years of high-intensity work in huge restaurants is understandable. But since having Chef Melissa's new dinner, I feel like I must say she should never abandon it. I went to her first dinner service preview night, and my throw-down-the-fork response was activated. That's what I do when I am so taken aback by the flavor that my hand loses grip.
Entering Alma Cafe is like entering the kitchen at your friend's house. It's cozy, comfortable, and warm, putting every diner at ease. This is not a bland, corporate, impersonal restaurant where you go to be seen; this is where you go to have a true dining experience. I was happy to see a selection of mocktails to try out, and there's no better drink than the Creamy Colada Margarita in the summer heat. Made with a zero-proof tequila by Ritual, the dreamy creamy drink perfectly cooled the palate with light sweetness and just a hint of smoke. The huge candied fruit slice was fun to munch on during courses.
Though this drink was not designed to complement this dinner as the two signature cocktails crafted by Head Bartender Mark Preston were, I could not believe how well it went along with the Enchilada de Tuna. Yellowtail tuna mingled with avocado, and they were tossed in tongue-tingling macha salsa and chipotle mayonnaise. Most of the tuna was eaten by the forkful in between big bites of the next dish. But when I got to the bottom, I was able to pick up the heirloom corn tostado and munch the remaining tuna like a big dipped chip. Top notes provided by the fresh herbs made this an all-around perfect dish.
I'm usually opposed to ordering salads in restaurants most of the time as I prefer to put my stomach space towards heartier and rarer dishes, but there was something about the Tomato, Peach, and Burrata Salad that seemed intriguing. Again, the high summer heat may have beckoned me to try cooling dishes. This was not what I was expecting, and I was highly impressed by the huge, juicy slices of fresh grilled peach and heirloom tomatoes glittered with raw herbs from the backyard and topped with creamy homemade burrata. A splash of citrus vinaigrette lent a tang that highlighted the unparalleled freshness of the dish.
Chef Melissa has always kept her grandmother at the heart of her meals, and some of the dishes on this exciting new dinner menu reflect that while others are based upon time-tested Honduran peasant dishes. In particular, I wanted what Chef Melissa recommended, and that was Pollo en Crema y Loroco, which is based on a traditional peasant dish. Juicy grilled chicken swam in an ocean of cream sauce deeply flavored with sofrito, white wine, and more of those aromatic backyard herbs. Being a soup and condiment fanatic, I appreciated the amount of cream sauce, which was almost soup like. This warm, filling dish seemed perfect for this home-like setting. Heartwarming is a good word to describe this dish.
My co-diner selected the Pato en Salsa Verde as she loves a good duck dish. Plump slices of perfectly-cooked and well-seasoned duck breast sat atop a bed of salsa verde. Alone, the duck is incredibly moist and delicious, and that would be enough for most restaurants. The addition of the salsa verde enriches each bite as much or as little as you want. The salsa being placed below the duck allows the eater to take as much as they want, which is genius. Taking bites of the green aromatic salad in aged balsamic vinaigrette drizzle in between bites of meat brings in a palate-cleansing aspect so that the duck never has a chance to settle.
Just like having dinner at your friend's home, dessert cannot be missed. The three selections was narrowed down to one when a cornmeal cake was offered. The freshly-baked cornmeal confection is gluten-free, but that wasn't the deciding factor for me. The addition of pistachio gelato and a drizzle of corn liqueur swayed my decision, and I'm glad I made it. It wasn't oozing with chocolate, which could be too rich to finish, and it wasn't so savory that it didn't seem like dessert. It was a wonderful balance between the two that connected so well with the dishes that came before.
Alma Cafe is working on a second location that will be somewhere in Mid-City, which will open just around the time that its predecessor celebrates 10 years in business. That location will surely be a hit, but it may be hard to replicate this homey feel.
