Alma, Loving Brooklyn, and Eating

Cobble Hill, Brooklyn’s renowned Alma Restaurant earned a recommendation in the prestigious Michelin Guide in 2009. Why a tire company sets the standard for exceptional dining has always perplexed me but why Alma received a coveted mention does not. The view, service and cocktails would stun any hungry patron, yes. But it was the Veggie Tacos al Pastor and only the Veggie Tacos al Pastor that prompted our visit. This celebrated vegan-option of marinated skewers of seitan, pineapple, peppers, and onions grilled and served with a fresh piles of chopped cilantro and red cabbage and fresh corn tortillas was not always on the menu, reports CandyPenny, who has lived blocks from Alma for many years. The dish was brought to my attention a few months back by the Electrician who had just learned vegan vocab staple “seitan” and it’s sat on my radar since.

With Brooklyn’s colorful shipping yards in the foreground and Manhattan’s east side the background, Alma’s rooftop lives up to the hype. Being famished, we ate several baskets of complimentary chips and salsa while sipping our adult beverages. At this altitude the pineapple-vanilla cocktail and apricot margarita calm our sun-drenched heads to the sway of the hazy heat of the city. Add the esoteric and tangential chat of a party whose years of friendship have reached the feisty teenage years, and you got a wonderful afternoon, all conditions defining why I love Brooklyn and why I love New York City. 
Onward to the food! Alma’s modern twist on Mexican presented a delicious dish of grilled tender seitan, chunks of juicy pineapple and flavorful onion and red pepper with several fresh corn tortillas to make a few sublime tacos. The feast had the F-word all over it: FRESH. (This is likely the most common craving I have… fresh food, though foodie companion CandyPenny and I can stretch this conversation out through loops and circles, descriptives in a dedicated journey to pinpointing and articulating the nuanced and fickle whim of our frequent food cravings.) The dish was just what I needed and enough to have me shut up about being hungry for at least a good hour. 
Alma is high-end dining so the Veggie Tacos al Pastor had a hearty price tage of $17. I mention this because to many a dish’s value, or lack thereof, has direct consequence on the dining experience. I, on the other hand, splurge not on designer jeans or regular beauty treatments but treat myself often to flavorful, nutrient-dense and texturally satisfying food. I don’t eat cheap because eating is one of the most important decisions of one’s life, though many do not treat it this way. How others disrespect this intimate action and ingest without with care and selection baffles me. [Awkward pause.] Was it me that posted something about Nathan’s onion rings the other day? No, no. That was someone else.