Restaurant Alma

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528 University Ave. SE Minneapolis, MN 55414

612-379-4909

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2 User reviews Write A Review

Critics'
Pick
BEST CHEF
Award Winner 2008

Cuisine(s): Health, Wine Bar

Hours: Sun 5pm-10pm, Mon-Thu 5pm-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm

Price: $$, $$$
Features: Private Party

Alcohol: Beer/Wine

Reservations: Accepted
Parking: Lot Available, Street

Description

Eat and drink enough at Alma and you'll earn a virtual master's degree in contemporary food and wine. Chef Alex Roberts, a veteran of such white-hot New York City kitchens as Bouley, Union Square Café, and the Gramercy Tavern, builds dishes around strong flavors, painstaking prep work, and classic French technique. A typical result is the Portuguese-style stew crowned with perfectly tender in-the-shell clams, buttery squares of roast chicken, and slices of zippy chorizo, all tied together with a delectable, garlic-flecked tomato broth holding bland but necessary white beans.

2008 | BEST CHEF

Alex Roberts was one of the first chefs in town to pull the white tablecloth out from under fine dining. After more than a decade in business, his Restaurant Alma serves some of the Cities' most creative, flavorful dishes from a spare dining room in a decidedly unsexy University neighborhood (it's across the street from Santana Foods, if that means anything to you). Roberts's fare--rustic corn-and-black-bean griddle cakes mounded with sweet king crab, braised lamb wrapped in crisp... More »
2002 | BEST NEIGHBORHOOD CAFÉ (MINNEAPOLIS)

If those Sunday suppers weren't beguiling enough--$20 three-course meals just made for grown-up family dining--this year Alma added weekend brunch, full of things like ricotta pancakes with lemon zest, a scattering of fresh raspberries, and organic maple syrup. Spread out a newspaper on the sunny tables and the room feels completely different than it does at night, when the stark arrangements of twigs give the room an elegant feel that's perfect for romantic tête-à-têtes.... More »
2001 | BEST RESTAURANT--MINNEAPOLIS

There are two basic things that define the best restaurant in Minneapolis--and make no mistake, this is a hotly, hotly disputed category. Basically, the two things are bliss and its necessary support, friendly pleasure. Bliss for what is on the plate or in the cup, and pleasure in the overall experience. There can be bliss on the plate, but no pleasure in the experience if your server is eavesdropping on your table in an oily, obnoxious way. There might be bliss in your Champagne flute, but... More »
2000 | BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Like Bonnie and Clyde, like Batman and Robin, like Chico and the Man, sometimes a duo gets things done better. Nowhere can you see this dynamic in action more clearly than in the jewel of southeast Minneapolis, Restaurant Alma. Venture in to find talented veteran Jim Reininger managing the gem-studded wine list and baking the extraordinary breads while wunderkind Alex Roberts sends out plates of food so imaginative, but also so well-prepared and refined, customers are swooning. All you... More »

Restaurant Alma's starters and sweets are a steal for less than $12

By Kara Buckner | Thu, January 19, 2012

To kick off 2012, we're highlighting 12 of the best dishes under $12 in the Twin Cities. Scroll down to view the complete list. It's a chilly January evening, but the soft yellow walls, honey-colore... More »
Zimmern, local chefs talk sustainability at James Beard Foundation salon

By Marsha Trainer | Fri, August 19, 2011

Thursday morning, a small but impressive group including Andrew Zimmern, Lenny Russo, Lucia Watson, Tracy Singleton, and Erick Harcey, as well as representatives from several nonprofits, a cookbook au... More »
Restaurant Alma and CSA season: a photo gallery

By Kate N.G. Sommers | Fri, June 18, 2010

Restaurant Alma was the choice for a Sunday night dinner this week. While everything on their menu is available ala carte, our party of three decided to go with the three-course tasting menu. We st... More »
Alex Roberts named Best Chef Midwest at James Beard Awards

By Rachel Hutton | Tue, May 4, 2010

For the second year in a row, a Minnesota chef has been named Best Chef Midwest at the James Beard Awards, as Alex Roberts of Restaurant Alma and Brasa took home the honors at last night's ceremony in... More »
Cold Seat, Warm Heart

By Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl | Wed, February 09, 2000

Restaurant Alma 528 University Ave. SE, Mpls.; (612) 379-4909 Hours: Monday-Thursday 5:00-9:00 p.m.; Friday-Saturday until 10:30 p.m.; closed Sundays Here's every restaurateur's nightmare: The critic shows up to research her first review of y... More »

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citypagesbestof | Minneapolis, MN | 145 Reviews

| Wed, May 6, 2009

Alex Roberts was one of the first chefs in town to pull the white tablecloth out from under fine dining. After more than a decade in business, his Restaurant Alma serves some of the Cities' most creative, flavorful dishes from a spare dining room in a decidedly unsexy University neighborhood (it's across the street from Santana Foods, if that means anything to you). Roberts's fare�rustic corn-and-black-bean griddle cakes mounded with sweet king crab, braised lamb wrapped in crisp pastry and served with sweet tomatoes and feta�is as refined as a tenured professor, yet fantastically unfussy and utterly devoted to highlighting the seasons. Oh, and did we mention that the $42 mix-and-match prix fixe is the best upscale dining deal around? This past year, Roberts turned his attention to casual eats and opened Brasa Rotisserie, focusing his chef's ethics and intensity on humble roast pork, rotisserie chicken, and a smattering of Latin and Southern sides. This means the meats come from animals raised naturally on nearby small-scale farms, and the cooking and seasoning is always spot-on. It's entirely different from Restaurant Alma, but just as perfect.
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roadsales | Farmington, MN | 5 Reviews

| Thu, February 11, 2010

mix and match prix fixe

Main Menu

Starters / Salads

$12.00

Spicy Lamb Tartar
guajillo puree, shallot, pineapple & cilantro

$11.00

Soft Cooked Egg
grilled bread, marinated kale & white bean puree

$12.00

Smoked Whitefish Salad
red beets, caramilized onions, horseradish

$11.00

Bitter Greens Salad
sheep's milk cheese, shaved fennel, kumquats, almonds

$12.00

Curried Lentils & Cauliflower
crispy rock shrimp & spiced yogurt

Middle Course / Grains & Pastas

$13.00

Squash & Chestnut Soup
duck confit, cardamom & ginger

$13.00

Rice Flour Crepe
pork belly, pickled cucumber & herb salad

$14.00

Masa Corn & Bean Cake
snow crab, green chili, garlic & lemon

$13.00

Farro & Porcini Risotto
prosciutto, tomato broth, parmesan & rosemary

$14.00

Tagliolini Pasta
prawns, mint, butternut squash & hot pepper

Entree / Meats & Fish

$28.00

Gently Cooked Char
potato puree, truffle hollandaise & red wine jus

$29.00

Pan Seared Beef Sirloin
chimichurri, spinach & bone marrow custard

$26.00

Clam & Chorizo Stew
roasted chicken, white beans, swiss chard & tomato

$29.00

Roasted Duck Breast
sauteed gnocchi & braised sauerkraut

$26.00

Berkshire Pork Two Ways
shiitakes, sauteed turnips & bacon broth

Vegetarian Selections

$12.00

Smoked Portobello & Roasted Beets
caramelized onions, arugula & horseradish cream

$11.00

Soft Cooked Egg
grilled bread, marinated kale & white bean puree

$11.00

Curried Lentils & Cauliflower
crispy potato, basil & spiced yogurt

$13.00

Farro & Porcini Risotto
mushroom broth, parmesan & rosemary

$12.00

Bitter Greens Salad
sheep's milk cheese, shaved fennel, kumquats & almonds

$13.00

Tagliolini Pasta
mint, butternut squash, hot pepper

Dessert & Cheeses

$8.00

Chocolate Hazelnut Praline Torte
hazelnut butter ganache, praline mousse, chocolate crunch bark

$8.00

Meyer Lemon Posset
fabbri cherries, micro basil, poppyseed tuile

$8.00

Pear Buerre Noisette
vanilla bean gelato, port wine reduction, milk chocolate sauce

$8.00

Sweet Potato Souffle
cranberry puree, spiced pecans, goat's milk brown sugar ice cream

$8.00

Citrus Olive Oil Cake
candied kumquats, fleur de sel, blood orange puree

(1) $5.00
(2) $9.00
(3) $13.00
(4) $16.00
(5) $20.00

Chabrin
(france/goat); alemar bent river camembert

(1) $5.00
(2) $9.00
(3) $13.00
(4) $16.00
(5) $20.00

Chabrin
(minnesota/cow); shepherds ridge creamery oliver's reserve

(1) $5.00
(2) $9.00
(3) $13.00
(4) $16.00
(5) $20.00

Chabrin
(wisconsin/sheep); shepherd's way friesago

(1) $5.00
(2) $9.00
(3) $13.00
(4) $16.00
(5) $20.00

Chabrin
(minnesota/sheep); pleasant ridge reserve (wisconsin/cow)

Looking for another city?

Restaurant Alma

528 University Ave. SE Minneapolis, MN 55414

612-379-4909

Description

2008 | BEST CHEF

2002 | BEST NEIGHBORHOOD CAF&Eacute; (MINNEAPOLIS)

2001 | BEST RESTAURANT--MINNEAPOLIS

2000 | BEST NEW RESTAURANT

By Kara Buckner | Thu, January 19, 2012

By Marsha Trainer | Fri, August 19, 2011

By Kate N.G. Sommers | Fri, June 18, 2010

By Rachel Hutton | Tue, May 4, 2010

By Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl | Wed, February 09, 2000

citypagesbestof | Minneapolis, MN | 145 Reviews

roadsales | Farmington, MN | 5 Reviews

2002 | BEST NEIGHBORHOOD CAFÉ (MINNEAPOLIS)