Not entirely sure how Restaurant Alma stayed on our food “to do” list for so long: executive chef Alex Roberts is a James Beard winner (2010 Best Chef: Midwest) and my friend Garrett had been singing their praises for several years. Last Saturday was the night to right this wrong, so I booked a reservation for two at 5:45 and we headed over to Minneapolis.

The evening started off on a down note, as we drove up to the big sign next to the parking lot that says you can’t park there. I don’t really mind paying for valet service downtown, but it seemed odd for this neighborhood. Street parking used to be pretty easy to find around St. Anthony Main, but it took a few loops around the block before I found a spot (too many new apartment and condo projects, I guess).

Restaurant Alma has a bar up front and a nice open kitchen in the middle of the room. Ceilings are tall and noise wasn’t really an issue (although the tables are very close together). I was a little surprised at how small the space was overall, but they do have a table upstairs too (we didn’t go up there, but the website says it holds 15).

It appears the food selections change roughly every month, with the primary option a three course tasting menu for $52 per person ($42 for a vegetarian option; a la Carte also available). We both ordered that and got to choose from several options in each course (starters/salads, middle course/grains & pastas, entree/meats & fish). Drinks and desserts are not included in the tasting menu price. There was also a note on the menu that said $1 of every tasting menu purchase will be donated to The True Food Chef Council.

For the first course, Colleen selected roasted sweet potatoes & pears (fresnos, creme fraiche & citrus), while I chose the endive & smoked potatoes (cornmeal crusted sweetbreads & cayenne hollandaise). Both were beautifully plated and tasty (I especially liked the duck confit in mine). Next up, we both elected to try the grilled quail, which neither of us had ever had before. It was served with crispy saffron rice, artichokes & pomegranate. Delicate and delicious.

For the final course, I went for the pan roasted duck (curried lentils & cauliflower, yogurt sauce), while Colleen had poussin chicken (sweet fennel sausage & tomato braised escarole). I really loved the flavor combination of the duck, lentils and cauliflower and Colleen thought the spices with her “baby” chicken tasted a lot like a chicken parm you’d find at a traditional Italian joint. Both were excellent.

For dessert, Colleen wanted to try a cheese tray, which had a unique sliding price scale based on how many cheeses you picked (one to five). It didn’t increase in a rational manner, though (1 – $6, 2 – $11, 3 – $15, 4 – $21 and 5 – $25), so I guess three is the sweet spot. She picked two: Garrotxa (Spain/Goat, cherry mostarda) and Tome Des Pictons (France/Cow, pears & local honey). I had the Otucan chocolate cremeux (honey ganache, black cocoa crumb & fennel foam, $9), which was amazing (see above).

Restaurant Alma was a James Beard semi-finalist this year for Outstanding Service, which I totally understand after the visit. Our server Kate Rose was wonderful all night – she took time to explain details of each dish, answered our questions and made appropriate recommendations as needed. Our table was serviced by multiple people all night in a consistent and attentive manner (without getting in the way or being overbearing). Water glasses were refilled regularly, dishes removed promptly, replacement silverware magically reappeared (on the very cool risers) and Colleen’s linen was refolded and placed on the table when she visited the restroom.

Chef Roberts opened Restaurant Alma in 1999, followed by Brasa Premium Rotisserie in 2007. Both operations have won numerous awards, but now we know why Alma is such a special place.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED