Alma

Alma is a hotel restaurant. Well, a restaurant inside a hotel. A boutique hotel, but the space does have a bit more of a staid, cookie-cutter feel to it. It's clean and attractive and welcoming. Just...  curated. We'll go with curated. The hotel sits on the north side of town, a few blocks north of the famed Stone Arch Bridge. (I walked back to my hotel that way.)

It describes itself as "seasonally-inspired" and offers a 3-course menu and a 6-course Chef's tasting.

You probably guessed which I chose.

It has a terrific atmosphere. Very relaxed. Super friendly servers.  Regular use of "...my friend...". It felt more like a neighborhood diner than a fine dining restaurant. I mean that in the best of all ways. Welcoming. Easy. Not the least bit fussy.

Much of this can be attributed to my outstanding server, Bella. She was effortless. Happy. Seemed to be doing just what she was made to do in life. 

A few stories to illustrate the point. 

At one point, I dropped my spoon to the floor. It clanked loudly. Within 20 seconds, a server (having heard it) grabbed a new spoon and offered it to me, saying  "I dropped a glass earlier so you're doing fine." I don't get flustered at things like this, but many do. So their quick fix and self-deprecating empathy was spot on. Perfectly handled.

I gushed over a Sauvignon Blanc they brought me early in the meal. At the end, they came and offered me another lighter pour so I could enjoy a little more of it.

Touches like these really make a place memorable, and assure that guests feel special. Bravo.

If only the food lived up the service. It did not.

The menu items were smart and well conceived. But execution suffered across almost every dish. The pastas (I added one from the a la carte menu) both had sauces that tasted only of butter. The orzo pasta boasted king crab as the primary protein. I didn't see any. In fact, the server didn't mention crab as she introduced the dish. I grabbed the menu to confirm my recollection and asked "Does it have crab in it?" She replied "Oh yes! It does!" I didn't see any nor taste any. It made me wonder whether it was left off.

Too, the halibut was a terrific dish, but the fish was well overdone. No amount of terrific accoutrements (and they were terrific!) can save overdone fish. The duck was perfectly cooked, but the sauce was far too sweet. Add strong spices to the duck to counteract, or mellow out that sweetness and you could find the balance this plate lacked. 

Oddly enough, the salad was the true star. Incredible product. Clearly local. Well handled. With a beautiful, light vinaigrette that complimented but didn't overpower. I love me a good salad and this was definitely one of them!

Overall, this was a nice meal. It would be a lovely place for a regular date night. And for $140, it's quite a generous meal. 

That they are in a hotel may drive some menu decisions, appealing to a broader audience. But for fine dining, this one was fine. But that's it. I wish I could laud the place. There is a lot to love! But each plate was consistently just off enough to put it in the true category of elevated dining.