An Old Favorite With A New Face

A trendy new spot just opened up on Henderson this past week. Alma, previously known as Cuba Libre (may it rest in peace) and it's not half bad. Same owner but different atmosphere, food and cocktails. Now I feel it's only right that I let you know in advance that I was a true lover of Cuba Libre. From the plantains and queso, to the pitchers of mojitos on a hot summer day...this was my happy place. So naturally, I was going to be tough on Alma. It had a lot to live up to.

So I visited for the first time this past Saturday night and expected quite a wait, but was pleasantly surprised when the hostess said "30 minutes" handed me a buzzer, and pointed me towards the bar. So with my girlfriends in tow, we marched up the stairs and planted ourselves at the bar in the rustic lounge. Richard was our bartender, and I knew he had skill when I saw him using fresh ingredients and cracking the ice. He then told me he came from Bolsa which immediately brought a comforting feeling to my heart. I asked him what he recommended and he said with confidence that every signature cocktail was wonderful and he was proud to serve them all. So I chose the one with a hibiscus flower in it because let's face it, who doesn't like a flower floating in their cocktail? 

The scene was posh but cozy and although quite loud, there was a neighborly atmosphere that invited you in. I observed the scene as much as possible without being rude to the company I was with. 25-40 seemed to be the approximate age range and really it looked like a lot of couples. I'll have to remember this place for date night. 

After approximately 40 minutes we were sat at a table upstairs in the lounge where we were enjoying our libations. We immediately ordered another round and a Queso Fundido, which sounded too good to pass up. I love anything with cheese and chorizo. Not at all the queso I remember so fondly from the days of CL, but a delightful dish with a true Mexican flare. 

I followed that up with a shrimp dish served with spinach and rice, all swimming in a lovely little sweet garlic broth. I was happy with my choice. It was light, rich with flavor and well prepared. But I think I'll venture over to the enchiladas on my next visit. 

The wait staff was polite and quick to respond, but there was a bit of a language barrier unfortunately. Yes, I know, I live in Texas where Spanish shouldn't be that big of a shock to hear, but my poor friend had to say her order 3 times and finally just pointed it out on the menu due to the fact that she couldn't roll her "R's." Only complaint of the night, I promise. 

So after dinner, we sat and finished our drinks. The place had died down a bit which was nice and allowed me to enjoy my surroundings a bit more. All in all I did enjoy Alma. I thought it to be a comfortable establishment that would hopefully make a name for itself in the hearts of all Dallasites the way that CL did.