The Place
This week launches the start of my Vegetarian Venues category. If you've been following the blog, than you may have noticed I am not vegetarian. However, during the week I adhere to the Mediterranean diet which is full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Brunch generally ends up being my "cheat" meal for the week. The first review in this category is Cafe Alma in Pleasant Ridge.
Location & Parking
Cafe Alma is located on the corner of Ridge and Montgomery Road in Pleasant Ridge. It is in the building that housed the former Molly Malone's and before that the Dubliner. There is a small lot for customers on the side of the building. Beware that if you pull in and the lot is full there is no where to turn around and you have to back out onto Montgomery Road. Bonus, they have an additional parking lot across the street. It use to belong to Burger King. They do not accept reservations on the weekend. I have been told to arrive early because it can get very busy and noisy.
The Atmosphere
The outside and inside of the restaurant are gorgeous. It feels like you are dining in a Mediterranean villa. There are two large dining rooms, one with a bar area, lots of windows, bistro style seating, and an outdoor patio. The hostess and servers were very friendly and as usual first up is breakfast cocktails. I ordered the Eddie Colada. Which came out in a fun Tikki-style cup. This drink had all the blended elements of a traditional pina colada such as rum, pineapple, banana, and coconut milk. It was creamy, had great coconut flavor but not overly sweet. My stepmother ordered the Mediterranean Sunset which consisted of vodka, grapefruit and orange juice, grenadine, and mint. This was very refreshing citrus flavor and a great layered sunset inspired look. My only comment about the drinks is they took a long time to come out. My came out right about the same time as my meal. However, the server redeemed the situation by not billing us for it!
Order-Up
Israeli Breakfast Sandwich
For my main, I ordered the Israeli Breakfast Sandwich with a side of sweet potatoes. This sandwich was phenomenal and comprised of an omelet, green tahini, and arugula situated between two slice of challah bread. The omelet was nice and fluffy, the challah was amazing, and the other fresh ingredients pulled the whole sandwich together. The sweet potatoes on the other hand were a little disappointing. They came to the table room temperature and there was no crispness to them whatsoever.
Alma's Classic
My stepmom ordered the Alma's Classic a shakshuka dish. This was a traditional shakshuka
dish made out of poached eggs inside of a tomato-based sauce with red peppers and fresh herbs. It was served with a challah roll. It was delivered to the table in a mini cast iron skillet. The presentation and flavor of this dish were on point.
Overall Experience
There were definitely more positives than negatives at Cafe Alma. The restaurant itself has a great old-world style. Server's were friendly. The main courses were delicious as well as the cocktails.
Rating⭐⭐⭐
Cafe Alma receives three stars total. One star each for Atmosphere and Breakfast Cocktail. Cafe Alma receives half a star each for Service and Plate due to the long wait for drinks and the not so cooked to perfection sweet potatoes. This is a great place to visit if you are looking for a unique place to brunch or for lighter menu options.
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