08.26.09
Review of Alta, Thursday May 2009
64 W.10th St. & 6th/5th Ave., 212-505-7777
Great for: tapas, sangria, getting crazy with a large group of friends, hanging out at the bar, impressing out-of-towners, dates
Motorcycle Guy and I agreed on this place for our date, which turned out to be a really good decision because although I’d been here a while back, I hadn’t reviewed it, and it turned out to still be yummy enough that I actually want to write about it. (Sometimes I just can’t be bothered if a place is mediocre and obscure. And my palate has developed to the point where often what was once good is now disappointingly eh.)
The warm salad of artichokes and haricots verts with crème fraîche truffle dressing was a nice start. The lamb meatballs in spiced butternut squash foam, toasted sesame seeds and lebne (a dense yogurt cheese) were also lovely. The foam could have been better, but then I don’t like any form of squash.
The two best dishes – I really couldn’t pick between them – were the Brussels sprouts and scallops. The sprouts come with Granny Smith apples, crème fraîche and pistachios, which sounds strange, but that bit of sweetness sets off the rest of the flavors. I LOVED it. I also loved the three big butterflied, roasted scallops in artichoke purée and yuzu mayonnaise with salmon caviar. Tender, juicy and terrific, I only wished there were more (and an even number).
The yogurt-marinated lamb skewers with okra and eggplant in green leek sauce were a setback in an overall pleasant meal. I hated the vegetables, which were an unpleasant surprise, and the lamb was fine but a bit too sweet. Fortunately, the whole rack of Danish ribs roasted with kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) and coriander made up for that. Though they could have been moister, they were very satisfying.
We rounded out the meal with an absolutely scrumptious warm chocolate cake topped with coconut sorbet, passionfruit emulsion and chocolate rum sauce. It literally melted in our mouths. I found myself actually eating more than a few bites of it, despite not usually being a huge dessert fan.
It was fun sitting in the semi-secret back room that you can only reach through the kitchen. A bit sexier than the rest of the place, which is nice but loud and packed. The décor is a little cluttered, though still good for dates. Our waitress was attentive and helpful. I’m so glad the food hasn’t stopped being great. And if you’re there with a bunch of people, get the “whole shebang” – everything on the menu for $400. Did that once, it’s so worth it. Plus the sangria is killer.
Rating: 8 / 10
Our cost: $110 (1 drink)
Noise level: music at a good level, loud people, quiet back room
Chance of walking in: they’re very popular, so definitely call ahead.
