mixed. let me start off by saying that alba has improved greatly since a shaky start more than a year ago. it has gone from bad to hit and miss. my wife and i were lucky enough to receive a large gift certificate so we ordered up a storm. the following is a summation of my thoughts from start to finish.
- this place doesn't have website. this is very disappointing. it's 2009 people!
- we arrived at 8:30 on a saturday and the place was packed. there is no check-in desk and it took us a good 5 minutes to grab the attention of anyone who worked there. once i finally got the attention of a waiter, he seated us. seriously, wtf. i have never seen such a terrible entrance to a restaurant. you walk in and are greeted by a round wall and literally do not know where to go for a table. bad news.
here is what we ordered with a quick summation of each:
- tiramisu martini: off the hook good. adessertin its own right
- pomegranate martini: good, but nothing spectacular. my wife accidentally knocked the drink over before taking a sip and the drink was replaced immediately. the stemless martini glasses are not really the best for serving drinks. this is particularly strange because their water glasses are way too big and heavy.
- wilted salad: beware there is bacon on this salad, which the menu somehow forgets to mention. this is served warm. my wife kind of liked it, minus the bacon.
- beet salad: this was a delicious seasonal treat. the beets and potatoes were cooked perfectly and i have never had a more delicious and creamy deviled egg.
- hangar steak with mash: my wife says the steak is nothing to write home about, but the mashed potatoes (which she ordered in place of the green beans) were the best mashed potatoes she (and i) have ever had. rich and creamy does not begin to do this side justice.
- panko salmon burger: the burger itself was a bit underdone, but somewhat tasty. the menu-described avacado-mayo was really 98% mayo. the menu-described red onion slaw was really just finely sliced red onions. the bun was hard and chewy. combined with an underdone salmon patty, this meant the salmon kept sliding out. the fries were delicious, as good as gateway market's, except not as crispy,
-tuna tartare with avocado and citrus sauce: this was completely lackluster. there was no taste at all to the fish. i couldn't even finish this, one of my favorite dishes elsewhere, because it was so disappointing.
- buttermilk ice cream: we shared a single scoop of their house-made buttermilk ice cream. it was small, but it didn't need to be much bigger. this was perhaps one of the best scoops of ice cream i have ever had, my wife says it is hands down the best she has had. it beats out her old favorite of maggie moo's udderly cream. this ice cream is sensational! we shared another tiramisu martini, which when combined with the ice cream, was heavenly. my wife is by no means a foodie, but this ice cream had quite the effect on her.
final verdict: we will return for a dinner of mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, and buttermilk ice cream washed down with a half dozen tiramisu martinis.