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Categories: Latin American, Caribbean, Cuban
Neighborhoods: Rittenhouse Square, Penn CenterMon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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OK, how could I possibly have loved a meal so much that didn't include cheese? The atmosphere in this place is great, not too gimmicky with the Cuban theme, nice and subtle, Cuban music playing sets the mood. I started with the cilantro daquiri--yum! yum! It was in a martini glass and mild and sweet, not overpowered by the cilantro, a little creamy but not at all thick. (I thought my friend's caipirinha too strong.) The cute little hot bread rolls were gorgeous, with some sort of herbs baked in, and a plate of oil for dipping, and they also serve a basket of homemade terra chips and roasted corn bits (remember corn nuts? think them, but light and delicate, not as dense). We split a ceviche sampler for 3--the mixto portion was a bit stingy so I didn't get a real taste for that one; the rainbow ceviche was excellent particularly the lovely salmon bits; finally the lobster (from Maine, we checked--I have a good friend in the lobster business up there) was in a nice Asian inspired sauce, a nice twist to classic ceviche.
The best part for me was the mini smoked marlin tacos; the taco shells were actually made from one of the homemade terra chips, not sure if it was taro or what, but some kind of tuber (white with purple flecks). We split a bottle of the viognier, which was nice and light and not too sweet. The platanos were a bit silly--some things you just can't try to fancify, but they totally hit it with the yucca frita. The tuna on cane spears was pretty good. I was so full at this point I could barely touch it though even though it was a not enormous entree. 3 of us split it and were all about to burst. Silly girl, I accept the dessert menu. I could not resist the churros, which were light sugary goodness, chopped into two-bite nuggets, perfect for dunking in the exotic, sweet, mango sauce. I had a glass of dessert rum too, which was almost portlike. Our waitress was lovely and took care of our every need. (Except for when no one would clear the 4th party in our group's bean soup bowl. It sat in front of her and a bus boy even looked at it and walked away once. That was a little odd.) Classy, slick, delicious. Alma.
Our Philly friends arranged dinner here in celebration of a birthday. I remember the space being beautiful and immaculate, the mood very upscale Latin. Superbly clean lines and warm colors.
And I think the most memorable things about the evening stopped right there. I can't recall much about the food so I guess it was pretty unmemorable. It's not the best cuban food I've ever tasted. I remember the mojitos being pretty good as were most of the other cocktails we ordered.
Just a note: I never tried the food here so this review is for the bar, staff, and venue itself.
This is a very classy looking joint. I could envision taking a hot date (a.k.a. La Novia) to a place like this. The bartender was talkative and friendly, but not particulary knowledgable on beer brands. He had no idea there was an alternative to Negra Modelo, which is the lighter colored version called Modelo Especial.
The beer selection here was limited, but the Negra Modelo hit the spot.
My uncle insists I need to come back and try the food. Based on the price of the beer, the food might be pricey.
I hope he is paying.
Alma de Cuba was par for the course in terms of Stephen Starr establishments: I enjoyed what I ordered well enough but ate my food and drank my drink knowing full well I was actually paying for the ambiance.
It is definitely a cool looking spot, complete with the Starr requisite center lounge area. (My one soft spot for him ever since I was charmed by the lounge area upstairs at Continental during law school.) Girls definitely get giddy being here.
My $6 happy hour mojito was exactly what I was expecting and the girl's suave mojito was basically just a much sweeter version of the regular. It makes me wonder what Alma de Cuba's killer drink app is (e.g. El Vez' blood orange margaritas) because I'm sure that's wonderful. The Royal Palm Dates (almond-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, topped with bleu cheese and served with onions on endives) were quite tasty but I'm in no rush to get back here to try everything else.
It's probably more like 3.5 stars. It's really not that terrible. But it's probably worth it more for lunch than dinner here.
We had their ceviche tasting. All their ceviches were just okay. Most of them mix in flavors too much that the main raw fish loses its own flavor. I guess they are trying to play with ideas of innovative ceviche, but I personally don't think it's that great.
The fried skirt steak was really good. But the crispy skinned port was a bit too salty. Chilean sea bass is such a great, versatile fish, so I expected a lot, but their version was just a-okay (I've had it better at other places...or even when I cook at home).
But overall, it's a nicely decorated, hip place for dates. You'll spend a good amount of money, and, if you pick the right food, you'll have good time.
It is def one of Philly's more upscale places - it is goooorgeous and really quite big inside. BEST mojitos - hands down. I've been here to eat only once and i didn't care for it that much (doesn't cater to vegetarians which is understandable because it is a Cuban place) but I've been here way too many times for drinks with friends and on dates. love it.
Wow cuban food so good
cool atmosphere and good service
This is not somewhere I would normally choose to go, but I do whatever Jason F. tells me to do. So I found myself here after the Yelp Elite event at Franklin Mortgage + Investment Co. I really dig this place. I'm not the biggest fan of Steven Starr establishments, but I did like this place. I had a killer pomegranate berry vodka something or other that knocked me into the high heavens, which I really needed that evening. The couches in the lounge area were comfy and classy. Jason knew the people who worked there so they were really nice to us. From what I can remember. Maybe I was a hot mess that night. Anyway, he ordered some kind of fish tacos that were really good. I'd go back.
Swanky and gorgeous, like we fantasize Cuba in the 50's, with mid-centuery styled chairs and low, low tables. A tin ceiling with red lights shining on and reflecting off of it is covered by a dropped, dark, caned ceiling, and from it projectors throw black and white images of Rat-Pack-esque party scenes onto the walls.
We came for happy hour on our way to an event, and the cocktails were classy and delicious, but not as cheap as we had read (1/2 price cocktails and free tapas?). Only one drink was happy hour priced ($6 instead of 8) and no happy hour menu was ever presented... We did, however, love the place regardless, and the service was terrific.
Overall: it would be a HOT place for a date, either for just cocktails or for dinner.
This is a swanky lounge/restaurant with great ambience. I loved the decor, the soft/dark lighting and the feel of this place. We sat on the second floor in between two larger parties.... the party to the right was obnoxiously loud making the noise level in our section uncomfortably high at times. I had the sangria and it was perfect.... he had the suave mojito and also was very pleased. Given the great drinks coupled with the ambience, we were expecting great food and this is where, unfortunately, Alma de Cuba fell short.
I ordered the mustard salmon which was a very small entree and the portion size seemed more appropriate for an appetizer. The combination of flavors and seasonings were a bit strange but it was edible. My husband ordered the chicken combo -- chicken breast with watercress and saffron rice with shredded chicken. He complained that it was too spicy, too heavy on the saffron and just over-seasoned and overdone to the point that the food's natural flavor was masked. For him not to be pleased and leave food on his plate is very unusual. While the food was beautifully presented and looked the part, the actual taste was a disappointment. We were so unimpressed with the food that we didn't bother ordering dessert or even accepting our waitress' offer to review the dessert menu. Instead we paid for our overpriced meal and went down the block to Starbucks where we enjoyed our usual white hot chocolate with soy and milk chocolate graham crackers. We just couldn't bring ourselves to order dessert when dinner had been so unsatisfying.
Service was ok -- nothing spectacular or noteworthy. In retrospect, it was not our best meal or even a particularly good meal and it left us wishing we had found another restaurant in Philly. If we're ever in the area again, we would go to the lounge which looked comfy and swanky with soft lighting and leather couches. I think Alma is better for drinks and appetizers perhaps but dinner is not their strength in our eyes.
Our party absolutely loved Alma de Cuba. It is Dark, but we were seated upstairs next to the window for optimal people watching. All of the ceviche's looked interesting, and we decided "when in Rome!" We split the Ceviche Mixto with shrimp, scallops and crab. It was a tiny serving, but delicous. If you are ordering for a group of a few friends, I would suggest ordering at least two orders.
I ordered the Duck Raspado, and literally cleared my plate. The dish was amazing. A month later, and I'm still thinking about it. The duck , which was marinated in pomegranets also served with a crispy rice and duck confit.
Alma is a great Cuban fusion resturant, with superbly prepared dishes.
I visited Alma de Cuba last Friday night for the last night of restaurant week. I have to say, it always makes me laugh a little when Cuban restaurants are as expensive as Alma de Cuba or Cuba Libre, since Cuban food is not expensive or particularly fancy. But for as pricey as the menu is, we were definitely not disappointed.
From the moment we walked in we were greeted by an entirely professional and impressive staff. The restaurant itself is really beautiful, very simple, but fresh and visually pleasing. We were seated immediately, which was impressive, especially for restaurant week, and doted on by the server throughout our meal.
The restaurant week menu featured items from their normal menu, which is always appreciated. In addition, they had an extra ceviche course available for $15, which we were tempted to try. Our appetizers (a corn soup) was tasty but not life-altering. The main courses were both really quite good. We tried both the the skirt steak and the salmon and were pleased with both of them. The desserts were a little bit of a let down; the tapioca pudding was good but not profound and the banana cake was pretty much just banana bread.
All in all, we were thoroughly impressed. Although not all of the food was earth-shattering, it was all really quite good, and the service and atmosphere more than made up for it.
NYC prices have ruined me. Now, when I see a cocktail on a menu for less than $12 my heart palpitates. This isn't normal. $12 for a cocktail shouldn't even be considered. So when I saw Alma de Cuba's happy hour $6 mojitos I was like whaaa?! Paying the price of one McD's value meal for a cocktail instead of two?! What a steal!
Until I realized they're normally $8.. yah that's not such a great deal, but my (rico) suave mojito tasted so good and still had a kick, so bring it on. Alma de Cuba's happy hour: 5-7pm M-F, seating in the 1st floor bar area, $6 classic & sauve mojitos and sangria, and "free" tapas. The "free" tapas is kind of a scam; on the day we went it was one empanada per person. A damn good empanada, but still, only one.
The downstairs lounge was almost empty when we arrived at 5pm on a Friday - again another fresh breath of air, entering a Friday happy hour and being able to pick which comfy louge chairs would hug our butts and which table was most optimum for waiters to see that our empanada plate was ready for a refill (never happened). The lounge is also super sexy. Come hither and buy me a drink wink wink.
I really enjoy cuban food and this place sold me on my first taste of their guacamole and banana chips -- and I have HIGH standards for guac (as I believe I make the best guac ever) - I also really enjoyed the octopus salad and their selection of ceviche. The butter and bread that they give you -- deelicious!! -- The drinks are great, however, I am picky about my mojitos and I didn't think theirs was all that wonderful (which is a big statement as they are known for them).
The atmosphere is really great - even though you are close to each table - I felt as if I was sitting in private area with no one around. The wait staff each time I have been here have been friendly and willing to describe each dish and make recommendations based on what you tell them you enjoy.
Definitely one of the more fun, good places in the city of philadelphia.
4 for 4. Since moving to Philadelphia in June, I've dined at Alma de Cuba 4 times and each time has been perfect. This restaurant makes for a great place to sip on mojitos and have some appetizers or indulge in a full fare. I really liked their Big Eye Tuna ceviche, which was prepared with watermelon and thai basil; however, it was only offered during the summer. This past Saturday, we started with the Oysters Rodriguez and loved them. Other appetizers I've tried and like include the Royal Palm Dates, Duck Empanadas, and Kobe Beef Tacos. My favorite entree is the Vaca Frita. The Lechon Asado is another guilty pleasure. For non-meat eaters, the scallops and sea bass are great choices.
First off, Erin's right, it's dark. White walls and white furniture don't brighten up a room when the only lights on are the red glow coming from the bar... which by the way made me feel dirty. Why, you ask? This is what I imagine a bordello to look like. The ground floor bar/lounge area is nice, perhaps intimate is the right word for the bar itself. No, I'm just going to say it, it's small. However, the guac with plantain chips are amazing. Black truffles make anything decadent. We didn't really try anything else, just there for some drinks and conversation. I would recommend this place if you have the wallet, and the patience to find the bathroom through the labyritine staircases.
Seriously good Cuban food. The hotel concierge made reservations for us here at our request to try something that could only be found in Philly and we had an amazing meal. The restaurant was modern and energetic, the staff were very helpful in recommending dishes and the ceviche was done very well (I've had some that were awful).
The chocolate cigars... ok, come on, they're fun. Roll your eyes along with the rest of us and order one. I really didn't like Philadelphia as a whole, but I would instantly tell anyone going there to visit Alma de Cuba.
Appetizers: Get the guacamole with truffles, paired with banana chips. "Best guacamole I've ever had" is what my coworker said.
Main Course: The scallops were really good, not the best, but they landed right in my expectations range. Perfect chewiness, just big enough, and a tasty pastry to complement the textures.
Dessert: Chocolate cigar. If I was a d-bag, I'd have pretended to smoke this, but since I'm not, I just ate it. It was rich, and it was delicious.
Ambience: It's a bit swanky, and a bit trendy, but if you get placed on the second floor next to the windows, you'll be comfortable and able to hear your date or friends across the table.
Overall: Worth a visit if you've never been. And even if you have, one more time couldn't hurt.
I really liked the decor and the restaurant was fairly quiet. Our waiter was very friendly and knowledgeable on the menu.
The mojito was good, not too sweet. For an appetizer I had the Oysters Rodriguez and for my entree, Vaca Frita "Fried Cow". The oysters were very good but I loved the Fried Cow. The steak was very tender without being too dry and it was very well accompanied with the beans, rice and tomato escabeche.
WOW!!!! LOVE our dining experience here! We hosted an engagement party of about 40 to 50 people. We had a private room on the 3rd floor (don't think they have an elevator). Our food was served family style. From the appetizers to the desert...everything was delicious! Food was served hot, fresh, perfectly cooked, and just beautifully prepared. Service was excellent! It was a fun dining experience especially for the out of town friends and family! I also thought it was all reasonably priced for value, service and city dining! I highly recommend!
Yes. Yes. Yes. Atmosphere, Service, Fair pricing for portion size and quality. We just had dinner here last night, and already are planning our next trip. The pre-dinner rolls you start with are unlike any other... with the savory olive oil and herb mixture to dip. We both had the black bean soup. HUGE portion. the presentation was lovely AND the taste was creamy and off the chart... it had these tiny fried rice balls sat on top of the soup horizontally placed... the crispiness in conjunction with the soup texture was indescribably amazing.
I had the chicken combo and my husband had the vaca frita for our entrees. They were so large, we could only eat half and were happy to have them box up our remainder to eat later.
RUN do not walk, to this perfect evening.... celebrate at Alma de Cuba, we did!
When I walked in I knew that this was not your typical Cuban restaurant. Seeing yuzu and hamachi on the menu gave it away. Layout of the place is pretty cool, split into multiple stories. Seemed trendy but not like Morimoto trendy. I would be remiss to not mention first and foremost how awesome the little rolls they serve you in the beginning are. Slightly sweet and very light and spongey. I could definitely scarf more than a couple of those. A really nice variety of options on the menu. Highlight for me was the tastey duck breast marinated in pomegranate that came with this crispy stone pot "fried rice" kind of side with raisins in it. Absolutely scrumptious. I'm going back to try the octopus and lechon asado. Maybe even this week.
Cubalicious! I loved the space and the food was very good. My dining companion and I began with the Royal Palm Dates which were appropriately decadent and had little cubes of something jello-ish that worked strangely well.
I had the Lechon Asado, which was very tasty and totes crispy. One or two pieces may have been two crispy and one piece was a bit too fatty for my taste, but overall it was a well-presented dish.
Tried the Chocolate Cigar--Love it!
My friend also said the Cilantro Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon was the best salmon she ever had.
I was about to give Steven Starr a bad name after a bad experience at Buddakan, but luckily I tried… Read more »
Food: Ordered the daily PRI FIXED (SP) - $39 3 course meal, $45 with their classic mojito. Party of one, so I ate downstairs in the "lounge" area...
Appetizer: 2 Empenadas with a fresh mint, basil, watercress, and peas.
Entrée: Short Ribs (also came with another salad)
Dessert: I forget what it was called exactly, but it involved a date cake and walnut ice cream.
Empendadas were fantastic. The (1st) salad was very nice (mint + basil definitely a new concept for me as far as salad ingredients). The short ribs were "fall off the bone" tender... except there were no bones. I enjoyed it, but I think I'll try one of the other dishes next time.
Everything Else: Service was great. Server was very attentive. Water glass was never empty for long, my cleaned dishes were never left on my table long, new silverware was provided between appetizer and entrée. Oh, the bread that they served before was REALLY good too.
Return visit: Most definitely.
OK, just so we understand each other, I have no idea what I'm talking about half the time when it comes to food. All I know is what my tastebuds tell me. If something is good, I'm happy. If something is bad, I'm not happy, and usually that is followed up with a lengthy trip to the loo. So, how am I feeling tonight? Happy, very happy.
Met a friend tonight at Mahoghany for a quick drink. After we were done, we needed food and needed it now. So, we walked down the block and spotted this joint. We've been talking about going there for awhile but never got around to it. Finally we stepped inside.
We were greeted and seated immediately. Decor is modern I suppose, dimly lit and comfy little tables. Looked nice enough. They had a pre-fixe diner special going so that's what I went with. Started out with some octopus dish, followed by my entree of some Brazilian Trout (well, that's how it was described to me, started with a P or something) and finsihed with caramel flan.
I was worried about the octopus. Only had it one time before and wasn't a fan. But I wanted to try something new so I went with it. The first piece I had was the end of the tentacle and it was kinda rubbery so I was worried about the rest. But, I soldiered on. Suffice to say that was the only piece that was bad. The rest was cooked good for me. Not sure how octopus is supposed to be cooked, but it wasn't tough at all and was pretty tasty so I would def. get it again.
Then came the main dish. My trout and shrimp. Again, was a little nervous since I have never ordered trout out anywhere ever. Well, I need to stop worrying so much. It was also delicious. Nice and flaky, great flavor, and the skin tasted almost like bacon. Had a nice crunch that really complimented the fish underneath. The shrimp was fresh and also very tasty. They serve it on something that I can't pronounce but it was garlicy and went very well with the rest of the dish.
The flan, well, it was flan .It was good. I ate every last bite, but meh, nothing special
Oh and the bread they serve was to die for. Very sweet and doughy. Was a great start to the meal.
Service was excellent also. Very prompt and accomodating without being overbearing. All in all a great experience. So why no 5 stars? Well, because I just don't know enough about cuban food so though no fault of their own I took one away. I'm feeling malevolent tonight so I'm taking a star away from Starr......
Cliffs notes
Ate some octopus, ate some shrimp, ate some trout, and some flan. Topped off with a mojito. It was good and worth the trip. I would go there again no questions asked.
A great restaurant for a first date! I sat upstairs at a small table. Ambiance and service was great. The chilean sea bass (which our server had recommended since it's one of the most popular dishes at Alma) was divine! And the crepes filled with dulce de lece was terrific! :-)
Came here the other night due the longgg ass wait at El Vez. Prob was my fault for not making reservations at El Vez, but Alma was able to accommodate us within 15mins of calling.
Dinner was delicious, I couldn't help but ordering the same meal I did the first I went there, along with my virgin pina colada.
I had dinner here this time though, some spongecake soaked in rum...YUMMAE.
For 3 folks, dinner was not that expensive actually. Nice time, would come again.
I ordered the same dish here as I did when I went to Cuba Libre and it was soo much better here. It… Read more »
I celebrated my 6th anniversary with my fiancee this past weekend here! It was an interesting experience, filled with flavorful eats. I'm a newbie when it comes to Cuban food. The place was jammed pack that night! We ordered the plantain chips with guacamole and the three different types of ceviche to start off. These appetizers were delish; I especially couldn't get enough of the shrimp & lobster ceviche. I ate everything!!! As for the main course, I ordered the Lechon Asado. I was very disappointed. I felt like a grease ball after two bites! To sum it up, if you enjoy consuming Pork Rinds, this dish is for you.
Royal Palm Dates
Freaking love those things.
One of my favorite places to dine in philly. Explosive flavors, great ambiance, just love everything about Alma. You will have an awesome time here.
One of my favorites in Philadelphia. I came here for my birthday last year, and everything was amazing -- the food, the atmosphere, the service, the mojitos.. all of it! Consistent, professional, delicious and lots of fun.
I would recommend holding off on whatever next two mediocre restaurants you're thinking of going, and instead spending the money to go all out at Alma De Cuba. Get the appetizers, drinks, a full meal and desert. I'm not even sure what I love most, but it was all extravagant and delicious. The guacamole was very fresh, the pork chop dish was amazing and the chocolate-y desert was unbelievable too. Its pricey, but I would come back here in a heartbeat!
seriously wish Mr's Starr and Rodriguez would open a branch here in NYC. I love latin food an so far this place had some of the best. I should qualify that statement though I love "nuevo latino" food. I like seeing the creativity chefs have when they take the traditional flavors and mix it up a bit.
So we had the lobster and crab ceviche, which was a special that day and boy was it special! we also had these great little pork sliders as an app and I still want them and its been over a month since I've been there. for entrees she had the pork loin which was delicious (she almost licked her plate) and I had the scallops that were served over a cheese filled pastry and a piquillo pepper sauce. I thought I had died and gone to scallop heaven (although I'm going to say that scallop heaven probably looks a little different). And then came dessert which is normally where the latin places lose their footing (for me at least) many of the places I go to the sweets just never seem that appealing. This was different I had a hard time choosing out of all the delicious sounding options but i chose the cheesecake cause I just cant help it when I see cheese cake on the menu ..... OMG best cheese cake Ive had in a restaurant EVER! it still doesn't beat some of my mom's but this was top notch ... Also first restaurant to ever offer to make a virgin cocktail for me as I don't drink and it was fantastic.
Normally I am all about going to a new place and I rarely go to a fancy restaurant twice, but if I am ever back in Philly I will be coming back to Alma de Cuba
I went to Alma de Cuba for my birthday for grown-up dinner with my husband WITHOUT the kids for a change. We were in the Rittenhouse Square area and wandered the neighborhood eyeballing restaurants and their menus until we found something that appealed to both of us. We didn't have reservations and were initially told they couldn't accomodate us. But we left our names and got a table about 30 minutes later.
I'm glad we were able to get in because Alma de Cuba provided one of the best meals I've ever had. With the exception of one thing, the food was orgasmic! The ambiance is intimate, dimly lit, urban-chic for professionals and young couples- definitely not a good place for children. The pricey menu is an eclectic mix conceptually based on the flavors of Cuban cuisine. I opted for the tapas approach to a meal and ordered a bunch of small items in lieu of an entree. I thoroughly enjoyed 4 of the 5 items I chose.
I began my meal with what turned out to be my least favorite choice, the Sanchocho de Pollo. This soup consisted of a delicious lime, chicken and coconut broth with dry, overcooked chicken and mushy vegetables. The soup had nice flavors; I think perhaps I just caught it on an off day.
Then I had the Royal Palm dates. Although I had reservations about it when I ordered it, they turned out to be one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten in my entire life. This appetizer is a perfect combination of flavors- almond stuffed dates with bacon and Cabrales blue cheese served on lettuce boats. I could have eaten a whole entire plate of them. They were heavenly!
Next came the Empanada de Verde. These empanada (turnovers) were a tasty combination of Manchego cheese and spinach served on a artichoke escabeche. Parts of the escabeche were delicious, in particular the olives in the escabeche paired very well with the empanada. However, other parts of the vinegary escabeche just didn't mesh with the empanada and left a rancid overtone on my palate. I think it was a questionable pairing, but separately the empanada and escabeche would have been fine.
Then I had a delicious salad, that happily, I have been able to replicate at home: Ensalada Blanca. The salad of frise' lettuce, feta cheese, grapes, almonds and Amaretto gelatin may sound a little odd, but was truly delicious and inspired.
I completed my meal with a perfect cup of coffee and a dessert of the day. The artfully presented crepe was stuffed with fresh black cherries, homemade lemon-cardamom sorbet, and flavored whipped cream. Delectable!
The tab set us back quite a bit, but we had the table for as long as we wanted it, and our server was a true professional who made it her business to cater to her customers. I highly recommend Alma de Cuba for a intimate dinner for foodies who love to have their palates challenged.
Loved it! The food was great.
Cool atmoshere and excellent service.
Slightly pricy...
every time i come here i come for the pan de bono! omg finally found the name for these suckers! so friggin hot and juicy full of sweet asiago cheese... YUMMM dip with olive oil!
ok so my review is gonna be a lil biased cuz our friend is loved by alma... but regardless im never disappointed when i go here!!! service is kinda elite trendy but still i felt relatively welcomed here!
so the staff has changed... used to be all male servers...
food omg i cannot begin to explain the greatness of the food
- ceviches - tons of diff selections, my least fav was the one with the seabass cuz it was too creamy for me... the snapper was nice and fresh
- marlin tacos - taro shells yum...
- omg guacamole truffle and plaintain chips... so fresh u can taste the truffles!!
- fried pork skin was my fav cuz i love pork... super crispy a lil chewy but maneable
- beef tenderloin was nice and tender but not one of my favs
- scallops - loveeeed this dish even tho i wasn't expectin to cuz it was just scallops... i loved the couscous as the bottom and the pastry that the scallops sat on... even just as good the next day
desserts
- fav was the rum cake... nice and moist and not too alcoholic tasting
- tres leches - too much bitter alcohol for me there
- some sorta refreshing ice cream looking cake thing was pretty good too
- cigar - signature dessert always nice presentation with liteable matches...
yummmmm i miss ya alma!!!
hands down my favorite cuban place... the atmosphere is hip and trendy... and the food just totally… Read more »
Went here for my mom's bday, and it was fabulous. Expensive, but worth it. It was a bit crowded/loud waiting for our table, but then it was a Friday night.
We all had great dishes, but my mom's choices were continually the best--she loved both the bacon-wrapped dates and the duck. The empanada verde was very good, but the other apps (the aforementioned dates and the octopus) got raves. One friend swears the skirt steak is the best she's ever had.
The black cherry caipirinha was delicious, but beware, the cherries are -soaked- with alcohol.
Nice touch--they brought out complimentary chocolates with a candle at the end for my mom.
I heard that the chef/owner was involved with the late, lamented Patria here in NYC--if so, that makes sense. They both do great things with interesting ingredients and light/tasty sauces and sides. Only drawback is that it's not particularly vege/vegan friendly--if you're strict, go elsewhere or be stuck with 1 choice.
I really wanted Alma de Cuba to be a 5 star restaurant, but despite my lofty expectations, the gf and I were still able to enjoy a nice meal.
The first impression offered by Alma is the decor. There is a small entryway with a few steps up to the entrance to the restaurant. Once you walk in, you're struck by the backlit mosaic bar and the stenciled glass seperating the various sections of the space. The second floor dining room features a white wooden ceiling with recessed red light boxes and several ceiling fans that create an feeling of sitting on a porch on a hot day.
The service managed to be attentive and polite without being intrusive. Always a plus in my book. We were seated promptly and our food came quickly.
The meal was good, and with lower expectations, I would even say it was great. The skirt steak was prepared very well but was served with a rather plain white rice and black bean combo. Delicious food, no doubt, but not what one comes to an upscale restaurant to eat. Paired with the steak was a tomato based sauce that I can only liken to a sweet salad dressing. It didn't ruin the meal, but I left most of it on the plate. The truffled asparagus appetizer was tasty, as were the small sweet rolls that are served before the meal. I had the Hamachi Nikkei ceviche to start, and while I didn't know it at the time, that was the best thing I would eat that night. The Brazo Gitano for dessert was a nice way to finish the night.
All in all, Alma de Cuba is likely to feed you something that is delicious. I look forward to coming again sometime outside of Restaurant Week to explore the menu a little more thoroughly in the hopes that I overlooked some of the better menu items.
The food. I had the octopus appetizer which was a little overcooked, I could no longer taste the "sea" in the octopus. I also had the "fried cow" dinner, which was very tasty, but I feel as though $26.00 for the dinner was too much to ask only to be paired with a mere siding of white rice, black beans, and overly sweet tomato escabeche. The pre-dinner breads were sweet, but could have been baked just another minute. The mojito, however, was quite good, esp. since they put a sugar cane in.
The decor. I'd go to drink at Alma before I would eat. Beautiful use of space by projecting images of traditional Cuba on the walls. Very well thought out interior, esp. the arm chairs and there's even a second level.
Go for the drinks! You'll need another after you see the bill for the food!
Steven Starr won my heart with this restaurant-- it certainly proves he is one of the best restaurateurs who ever hit Philly.
I understand and commiserate with other reviewers who found it a bit trendy-- but I think this is still off the beaten path a bit as it was not over-crowded/ over-booked as Buddhakan often is.
The bar/lounge is a nice place to start your evening-- I suggest stopping in for a drink or arriving early to your reservations purely to partake in the delicious cocktails and intimate atmosphere.
The best feature of Alma de Cuba is the food. I have never tasted something so flavorful in my LIFE. May I suggest the Short RIb Empanada or the ceviche sampler as an appetizer. For dinner I had the Vaca Frita, which was mouthwatering, colorful and fun.
I had a great night with my friends, whom also were enamored with Alma De Cuba and it's friendly waitstaff.
I will definitely return!
Gotta go for the appetizer sampler...oysters rodriguez, smoked marlin tacos, cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. I ate here at least a month ago and I still remember what I ordered. The ceviches I sampled were great. The crispy skin pork is truly sinful. I've never felt good about eating a layer of fat...until now. The chocolate cigar desert is pretty sweet also. Three margaritas later and it was a night to remember. Luckily I didn't have to pay.
Neighborhood: Olde City
Category: Cuban
Neighborhood: Olde City
Category: Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: Market East
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Category: Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Category: American (New)
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