Alma

ALMA,Our turn to enter the world of chef Henrique Sá Pessoa in his two star Michelin restaurant Alma!What I loved about this place is that – despite its star status – the warm and traditional Portuguese feel has not been lost! Warm wooden tones, walls filled with bottles of wine and a fantastic team that created the best of hospitality…A series of snacks and amuses led the way of what would be an extraordinary evening starting with a tempura strip of red bell pepper coated in burnt leek powder and a red bell pepper dip, inspired by the traditional tempura green bean dish, peixinhos da horta! A beautiful dashi broth with cured fish and a fresh acidic ‘gazpacho’ rounded off these fine starters.One of the best dishes was soft and sweet glazed baby carrots served with sharp goat cheese, apricot, dried fruit, bulgar rice and cumin oil. The fact they serve a ‘simple’ dish in a star-studded restaurant like this explains the feeling I had with this restaurant! Elevating classic dishes to a true masterpiece of taste…Another example was the foie gras course which was an incredibly generous portion with apple, granola, coffee and beetroot. This was another unique mix of flavors and unlike any foie gras dish, I’ve been served before. A classic reinvented and one of the best foie dishes I have ever tasted… A perfect creation of Cod and lamb followed before another signature dish arrived, the suckling pig…. The way this suckling pig was created, really soft with an intense black pepper jus and the crispy crust was a showcase of artisanship in its purest form. A new dessert of sea flavors and citrus 2.0 was one of the best desserts I have ever had. A dessert that tastes of fresh nuances of the sea paired with the acidity of citrus was very atypical but totally amazing. All this showcases that Henrique Sá Pessoa is a man of great culinary talent. I love the way he takes traditional dishes and invents something really unique around them! The team conducts a close and personal approach which enhances the experience at Alma.