Alma Pan-Latin Kitchen

4.0 star rating
26 reviews Rating Details

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Hours:

Tue-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 10 pm

Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm

Good for Groups:
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Price Range:
$$
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Good For:
Dinner
Alcohol:
Full Bar
Noise Level:
Average
Ambience:
Trendy, Casual
Has TV:
No
Caters:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Review Highlights   

  • "...chocolate con dulce de leche y helado de canela (Alma) 6." In 3 reviews
  • "...version of Empanadas del dia (stuffed baked pastries of the..." In 3 reviews
  • "...decide on one) The tres leches, three milk cake and a..." In 5 reviews
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26 reviews in English

  • Review from

    Dayton, OH

    4.0 star rating
    10/23/2012

    Discovered this charmer via a walking tour of Regent Square led by Venture Outdoors.  As soon as the tour ended, I headed back to this place to try out their cuisine, advertised as Latin American with an African influence.

    The brightly colored walls and wall hangings lend to the theme which is quite uplifting and pleasant.  I started with a regular mojito, which has become my fav drink.  I have to say that if this one had been my first, it wouldn't have made my fav list.  It was too something -- too strong?  too tart?  I didn't hate it but didn't finish it.

    Franny was my server and happily helped me decide on what dish I should get, being as it was my first time there.  I settled on the Camarones al caribe con ajo (Cuba) entree (grilled shrimp in a lime and garlic sauce) served over rice with asparagus.  The presentation was very eye-catching and the first few bites were absolutely delicious  However, I believe the mojito and the shrimp dish competed to be the alpha dog in flavor.  So, my tip is to not get the mojito with this dish.

    I know I sound negative but all-in-all, I liked it and want to come back to try other items on the menu that looked appealing so we'll say it's 3.5 stars.

  • Review from

    Pittsburgh, PA

    I had been wanting to try Alma Pan-Latin Kitchen and finally had the opportunity to celebrate my 4th anniversary there last month. As I am part Cuban, I grew up occasionally having Cuban food and really looked forward to trying this restaurant since Pittsburgh only has a limited number of Cuban places.

    As soon as I walked through the door, I was impressed by the modern interior and how spaced out the tables were. I am very used to other Regent Square restaurants (such as Green Mango and Square Cafe) that have much more cramped seating, so Alma was a nice surprise. I felt that my husband and I could actually have a conversation without everyone around us overhearing us and vice versa.

    Our waitress was friendly and seemed knowledgeable of the menu, and our food came out promptly. We started with the sweet plantains which were absolutely delicious. My standard was high since some of my relatives make good platanos, but these did not disappoint. We also enjoyed the unique salsas that they were served with. I then ordered the Cuban sandwich, and my husband ordered the beef sandwich with sofrito and sweet potato. My sandwich could have used a little more meat - the bread and cheese were so dominant that I almost felt like I was eating a grilled cheese. I really enjoyed my husband's sandwich though. It was very tasty with a lot of meat. We ended our meal with the amazingly gooey warm chocolate cake with cinnamon ice cream.

    I definitely plan on returning to Alma sometime in the next few months. I enjoyed my experience there and look forward to trying more items from their menu.

  • Review from

    Pittsburgh, PA

    5.0 star rating
    10/2/2012

    It was just an unassuming Restaraunt week, set in Late August, Pittsburgh PA.

    A party of 4 descended upon Alma, Pan Latin Kitchen. What is it that we would discover, in this outlier of Pittsburgh cuisine, Pan-latin? Cuban...

    The only Cuban Pittsburghers have known was Mark!

    Alas! My inner bandito/gaucho was starving and in need of delicious and carnivorous nourishment.

    My merry band of pranksters (or my girlfriend and family, you pick) decided to embark upon the tasting menu. The menu was succinct and inviting.

    I ordered the beef brisket, marinated in a mojo goodness that I would probably consider drinking straight if it werent so hard to displace Bombay from my imbibement schedule.

    Every bite was tender, and gladly over stayed the usual welcome of morsels in my mouth, savoring every delicious bit.

    The only respite was quenching my thirst with a delicious caprihana. Between the delicious meat and yuca fries, my bandelero self was emphatically pleased.

    Adios, but not for too long!

  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 5 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    4.0 star rating
    12/14/2012

    Great food and drinks. The oxtail and braised beef are my favorites. Don't be afraid to try the "fish special'',  the chef knows what he is doing. I always love a place with good local craft brews too!

  • Review from

    • 22 friends
    • 37 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    4.0 star rating
    12/6/2012

    I had the scallops appetizer, the braised chicken, and the warm chocolate cake (which was like a souffle) for dessert.  Everything was very delicious and well prepared.  For Latin food, I would've expected a little more spice/flavor, but it was all very tasty and the portions were decent.  The cocktails were also very nice--I had the sangria and a blackberry capirhina.  Our waitress was pretty awful -- she looked really unhappy and was unfriendly.  It was difficult to get her attention for anything that was needed.  I was with a large group and our food did not come out at the same time.  However, the chef was very friendly and came out to our table to see how we enjoyed everything, which was nice, but I could tell that he was not a Latino male.  Overall, I found the food tasty but I don't think it was really an authentic Latin experience.

  • Review from

    Pittsburgh, PA

    3.0 star rating
    9/26/2012

    I believe in second chances so I'd try it again.  Maybe.  But, I'll skip all of the appetizers.  We ordered 6  and it really wasn't anything to write home about.  Lots of deep frying and not a lot of flavor.  I really don't mind a little crunchy deep fried action, but when I go for latin cuisine, I'm expecting some flavorful bursts, and there were none.  But later, I felt like I was burping garlic all night, so apparently they sneaked a bunch of tasteless garlic in the mix.  I'll try an entree next time, maybe that's where their specialty lies and I'll also probably sit inside because the noise from the busy corner of Forbes and Braddock was as relaxing as you'd imagine...even with the pretty park across the street.

  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 5 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    5.0 star rating
    9/4/2012

    Alma Restaurant is my favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh.  It is sophisticated, yet casual.  It is gourmet, yet down to earth.  It is exotic in its cuisine, yet accessible to a less experienced palate.  Don't let the "Latin" scare you--it is NOT spicey unless you want it that way.

    The prices are fantastic especially considering the quality of the food.  A sandwich for $11 and what a sandwich it is!  Such a bargain.

    There are several vegetarian options--I've tried 3--and all were delightful and ridiculously low priced like the sandwiches.

    Drink prices are average to below average and everyone cares about the customers having a wonderful experience.  I've paid more in dive bars for my fav drink than at this nicely appointed bar/restaurant.

    I choose to have my wedding dinner there with about 16 guests and the owner worked with me to create a limited menu that help save time and costs and provided new taste experiences for the wide range of people in the wedding party.  Where originally I had thought I'd need to have 3-4 bottles of wine, it turned out that ordering by-the-glass was a more economical option and they did not hesitate to suggest that.  Wow!

    The service is friendly, accommodating and unpretentious.  If you become a regular there they will learn your favorite drink.

    Hang out in the intimate cantina (bar) on Wednesday night to hear unbelievably accomplished Latin guitar music.

    Seating outside in nice weather is delightful.  (take your dog--they will give him a bowl of water!)  There is a lot of traffic on South Braddock Avenue but car/people watching is part of the fun.

    The custard with caramel and coconut (flan) dessert is simply glorious.

    You can't go wrong at this place.  It is one of the clear est signs that Pittsburgh is going places in a big culinary way.

    Easy to find near the corner of South Braddock and Forbes in Regent Square.  GO!!!!

  • Review from

    Pittsburgh, PA

    3.0 star rating
    9/3/2011 1 Check-in Here

    Can a good main course erase the low quality appetizer and drink before it?  That's the hard question I deal with right now (isn't life oh so tough?!).  

    My caipirinha was good but let's just say it was on the ice-y side....like WAY too much ice and not enough of the good stuff....the booze!  

    We started with the Crispy chicken marinated in dark rum and lime app.  Sound delicious, right?  It honestly tasted like chicken tenders from the freezer section of Giant Eagle...minus the taste.  Absolutely. No. Taste!  There was even a side sauce that I thought might spice it up.  No luck...how do you make a sauce tasteless??  I don't know...but they somehow did it!  The only redeeming factor is that the other app we ordered, the marinated shrimp with chilis and sweet potato, was fantastic.  Incredibly tasty and well marinated with lime.  

    I ordered the grilled skirt steak topped with chimichurri and black beans and rice.  It was very good!  The steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare with a nice grilled flavor.  The black beans and rice were nothing to report home, but the small (very small) side salad of cucumber and tomatoes was also very good.  We had one more winning entree (braised chicken in ají and cilantro sauce) between my four dining companions (the losers: Beef brisket and a sandwich) .  So we're split 50/50 again!

    Would I give the place another try?  Absolutely, but I'll be sure to pick wisely again....even then....I'll hope for the best!  And give me more booze!  Then maybe I'll like things more!

  • Review from

    Washington, DC

    5.0 star rating
    7/25/2011 5 photos 4 Check-ins Here

    After a recommendation, the DH & I set off on a Sunday evening dinner to try this new pan-Latin restaurant in regent square.  As many know Sunday is the worst day out of the week to eat at any dining establishment.  I was hesitant, but I thought why not?  I'm very glad we did because the food blew us away.

    The restaurant is small, with a very chainesque design.   The menu has a lot of options especially for vegans as well as a big price range, 10-22!  

    We started off our meal with an appetizer, the Empanadas del dia.  The day's selection was a kicked up cheese empanadas, served with a tomatillo sauce.  It was cooked to perfection, and the cheese didn't overwhelm the empanada.  I liked the fact that it was a fried item, but it wasn't greesy which emapanda's tend to be.  My only complaint was they only give you three per order, and they are quite small.  I wouldn't have minded an extra one.  

    For my entree I opted for one of the priciest things on their menu: Camarones al caribe con ajo (Cuba) which is pretty much Grilled shrimp in a house-made lime and garlic sauce.  It was A-mazing!  Served on-top of flavorful rice (although it was a little too oily in my opinion).  The DH got the Pescado del dia or Fish of the Day, which was a steelhead fish grilled and topped with a tasty cilantro based sauce, and served with plantain mash and roasted red onions.  

    We finished our meal off with a very moist, and sweet Pastel de tres leches con fresas en dulce - my fav!  I've been thinking of making a tres leches cakes for days now, and this totally satisfied me!  The cake which really looked like cornbread was served with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.  A perfect ending to this meal.

    The DH who always saves a little piece of his favorite part of the meal for his last bite, couldn't decide which one to pick!  This NEVER happens.  We really enjoyed this restaurant, and would definitely place it on our top ten list of dining establishments in Pittsburgh.  We'll definitely be back!  It was a extremely tasty meal with fresh flavors that just kept opening up in our mouths.  I would highly recommend this place.  So excited that Pittsburgh is finally catching the Latin bug!

  • Review from

    • 1 friend
    • 4 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    5.0 star rating
    8/27/2011

    My husband and I live right around the corner from Alma and had been wanting to check it out ever since it replaced Calli's. With a new baby in our house, every night we get out is cherished, so it was important for us to have a good meal and a good time. Calli's had left me with bad memories of poor service and a terrible echo. We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at Alma and were promptly greeted with an appropriately dressed and friendly hostess. We also noticed that a few sound absorbing boards had been added around the dining area to absorb the echoing sound that had made Calli's a bit unbearable for us.

    I was new to this type of cuisine but had always wanted to try it. The focus is on Latin American and African influenced flavors. Think collard greens, black eyed peas and plantains. I am a vegetarian so I was interested in what options they had for me. We started with the Empanadas del dia (luckily for me they were black bean and corn). Although there were only three small pastries, they were delicious and wet are appetite just enough before the main course. I got the Torrejitas de frijolitos, a black bean cake, black eyed pea fritters, collard greens and sweet plantains. The combination of flavors worked well together and I happily cleared my plate. The black bean cake was actually a bit hard for me to finish, since it was pretty filling.

    We ended the meal by sharing two desserts (since we couldn't decide on one) The tres leches, three milk cake and a chocolate lava cake. Both were AMAZING. The chocolate lava cake was especially dark and rich, with a cinnamon ice cream on the side that made us craving more.

    Our bill ended up around $70 with us getting non-alcoholic drinks and no salads. We definitely felt satisfied and would recommend it for a special night out.

  • Review from

    Levittown, NY

    5.0 star rating
    4/27/2012

    Attention... will the real Food Hounds please stand up!  Why?  Because ole' Brim is here to tell you about another tight spot in Pittsburgh that literally knocked our socks off!  When you think of Authentic Latin Cuisine, most people forget that there are a zillion different ways to skin a cat.  Alma Pan Latin Kitchen takes this theory to a new level by excelling in old favorites and new specialties by offering a menu that spans across all of Latin America!  Every culture is represented from Puerto Rican to Dominican, all the way to Cuban... and then some!  When you come into this house... you better come hungry, because you're about to eat like a King.

    And so we begin... the starters were off the hook!!!  The Chicharrones de Pollo con Limon was insane!  Crispy strips of chicken marinated in a dark rum and lime, a Dominican spin on an old favorite.  A great spin on Chicharrones, the combination of the rum and lime was clearly apparent and the chicken remained succulent and flavorful.  Another favorite of mine was the Platanos Maduros con Salsa de Habichuelas or for lack of a better term... sweet plantains with spicy bean sauce.  These maduros were bangin' as they were extremely soft, sweet and sprinkled with sugar for additional texture.  Now, after dipping them into the spicy bean sauce... I was stunned!  That sauce was BOSS and essentially was like a fiesta in my mouth!  The Chilean version of Empanadas del dia (stuffed baked pastries of the day) was a combo of roasted red pepper, queso fresco and sweet green tomatoes with a Tomatillo sauce!  Another favorite was the Papitas rellenas con salsa de pimento which is yucca and potato pillows stuffed with delicious seasoned beef.  These rellenas had a smooth, even flavor while the lightly seasoned meat created a melody using my taste buds!  The Conchitas a la Parmesana were broiled scallops on the shell that were drizzled with parmesan and lime.  It was not too fishy or over powering as it held more of a parmesan taste with just a hint of the scallop itself.  Lastly, we were brought a special of the day which they call the King Klip.  This dish is a firm whitefish or Congo eel served with lettuce, avocado, white sweet potatoes, chili's and wine to create a refreshing, not too fishy and served cold.

    On to the MEAL!  Chuletas de Puerco con pina y batata is a totally amazing grilled pork tenderloin topped with cilantro & jalapeno served with pineapple and a white sweet potato puree!  A tasty, tender and intense... juicy and flavorful, the cilantro & jalapeno fused a flavor behavior that was truly out of this world.  The sweetness of the grilled pineapple with the white sweet potato was absolutely nuts!  Rabo de buey con papas fritas caseras which was braised oxtail with home style fried yucca and collard greens.  The oxtail itself was ginormous and the meat literally fell off the bone.  The yucca fries; (Alma Fries) were GREAT!  Crispy on the outside while retaining a light and airy delicious flavor on the inside, fried in olive oil and seasoned lightly to please the soul.  Another favorite was the Bife steak chimichurri con gallo pinto which is Argentina's version of grilled and marinated skirt steak topped with a homemade AWESOME chimichurri sauce and black beans.  The skirt steak was lightly seasoned, juicy and delicious.  Next up was the Pescado del dia which was Swordfish: flaky and perfectly pan seared - tasted great with black beans.  We had to try something from the vegetarian menu as well... so we had the Torrejitas de frijolitos a pan-seared black bean patties topped with an AMAZING cilantro-lime cream sauce with black-eyed pea fritters, those nummy plantains and veggies!  This dish was delicious... the special sauce was the BOSS!

    The high-point and WIN for all of the Food Hounds was the Vaca frita con arroz y gandules which is a slow-roasted beef brisket (**drool**) with hearty rice and pigeon peas.  Juicy and tender, the meat actually sucked up the flavor from the gravy that it was roasted in... it was unreal.  It is time for dessert and trust me, it didn't disappoint!  Flan de coco con caramelo a Colombian coconut custard with caramel with a medium creamy thickness.  For all intent and purpose, most people would put this in the Flan category; fantastic.  The Sorbete de fruta fesca was a sweet, soft and creamy raspberry sorbet that offered a powerful berry flavor.  The Pastel de tres leches con fresas en dulce is a traditional Honduran three milk cake with strawberries that was incredibly moist, wet and tasted like a saturated rum sponge cake.  To finalize the experience, we indulged in the Biscochito de chocolate con dulce de leche y helado de canela.  This baby was pure warm chocolate cake with a uber-sweet center that was warm, thick and gooey with GREAT flavor served with a cinnamon ice cream that knocked me through a loop it was so good.  Amazing ALL around from the food itself to the knowledgeable and friendly staff.

  • Review from

    • 2 friends
    • 5 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    4.0 star rating
    7/4/2012

    So good! Fantastic service and the food was delicious!!!

  • Review from

    Allison Park, PA

    3.0 star rating
    9/4/2011

    I had high hopes for Alma and unfortunately they didn't meet those expectations.  We kicked off the night with two appetizers, Crispy chicken marinated in dark rum and lime and marinated shrimp with chilis and sweet potato.  I'm not sure how the chicken was even marinated because I've never had chicken so bland.  Even the sauce that accompanied the chicken had very little flavor (the whole table agreed).   The breading on the chicken reminded me of McDonald's chicken nuggets.  On the other hand, the shrimp were incredibly flavorful and I enjoyed them even though I'm not a big fan of shrimp.  So we started our night out 1 for 2.  

    For dinner, I selected the pulled chicken sandwich topped with avocado mainly because it's hard to go wrong when avocado is involved.  It was good but not great.  For a pan-latin place, I was expecting spice and strong flavors and perhaps my expectations were wrong but my marinated, pulled chicken could have used some flavor or a sauce.   I don't eat any red meat or pork, so my options were a little limited but the skirt steak got good reviews.

    I also had a mango margarita and it was good but at $8.50, I've had better margaritas.  All in all, I'm glad I tried out the restaurant and I'd go back again if asked but I wouldn't say it's a must try and I won't be going out of my way to go back.

  • Review from

    Chicago, IL

    3.0 star rating
    3/3/2012 1 Check-in Here

    Update: After posting a star 2 review, I got an incredibly gracious email from Jamie, who I presume to be the owner.  He said he felt awful about our experience, was informing all the servers who were present in the restaurant that evening, and was willing to refund us the full price of our dinner.  I don't believe I've ever had such a genuine, kind interaction with a restaurant owner before.  I truly believe he will work with any servers to address our concerns, and that Alma will only improve in the future as a result of such devoted management.

    Here is most of the original review:
    I'd been excited to try Alma since I read about it in news articles - usually they mentioned it and Aji Picante as "exciting new Latin American" spots on the dining scene.  We tried Aji a few months ago and it rocked, and I'd been waiting to try Alma ever since.  I went with a group of girlfriends on a Thursday night.  We didn't call ahead or anything, and arrived around 7 pm.  Absolutely no trouble getting a seat - the place was even a little empty!

    We started with cocktails - I got the "Caribbean Mojito" which boasted coconut and pineapple flavors.  It did have those, and sugar, in abundance.  It was a very weak, highly sweetened cocktail.  It was more like a coconut-pineapple juice drink!  As one of my friend's said "But why is the rum gone!?"  Why IS it gone, Captain Jack?  Deep questions.  Later, I had a glass of sangria, which was an improvement on taste but still pretty sweet.  Also not very strong.

    So we shared some appetizers to start - notably the sweet plantains, and crispy yuca.  The yuca fries were pretty good, with a nice crunch, and served with a tasty chimichurri-ish sauce.  The plantains weren't bad, though not the best version I've had - they were sprinkled with sugar and seemed almost more like a dessert!  After dinner I had the butternut squash soup (daily special) which was very velvety and had good squash flavor.

    For my entree, I got the vaca frita which is similar to a ropa vieja - long simmered beef roast that is almost stringy - not in a bad way, actually.  Alma's version was served with rice and pigeon peas.  The rice and peas were a little bland, though I liked the texture of the peas (good bite).  The beef really left me a little cold.  Literally and figuratively.  It wasn't served hot, which several of my dining companions observed in their own dishes.  I think an improvement in the temperature would've made a difference in the taste, but the meat was still underseasoned and a little tough.  Actually, one of my friends got some habenero sauce with her dish, and we all tasted it and IMMEDIATELY ordered some for ourselves.  I think that's telling - when every single person at the table needs hot sauce for their dish.  Should've been more spice - not even heat, but flavor - in the dish as it is.  

    I also tasted a friend's food, who got appetizers for her main course.  She got the chicharrones (crispy chicken marinated in rum and lime).  Literally, they tasted like lime-y chicken fingers.  But not even really great chicken fingers!  Just....ones that have been marinated in tons of lime juice.   We felt they needed salt, and more of a depth of flavor.  I also tasted her papitas rellenas (yuca and potato pillows stuffed with seasoned beef) which were okay, but there was a much higher ratio of pillow-to-filling, so they were more potato tasting than beef tasting, which was disappointing.  AND I tasted my friend's goat cheese and shallot filled empanada, which was okay.  The texture of the crust was more pastry-like than I expected.

    I didn't have dessert, but I tasted the tres leches and flan.  Both were pretty good - possibly the meal's high point!

    So I'd probably be nice and give the food 3 stars, because it really was okay and even good with the hot sauce.  And the cocktails were tasty, even though they were more punchy than boozy.  But.  Our service was interminably, inexcusably slow.  The restaurant was not full at all, we all observed servers chillaxing at various stations around the dining room, and we waited - for everything.  We were there for about 3 hours.  Which is cool and all, we all like to linger over dinner, but you want to make the CHOICE to linger, you know?   I understand sometimes things get behind for whatever reason, but I felt that the slow service was blatantly obvious, and the absolute least our server could've done was apologized.  But she didn't seem to notice.  And the kitchen clearly had some issues with timing, if our food not only took forever, but also came out lukewarm.  

    We all felt a little disappointed in the overall experience, although we did enjoy several components of the meal.

  • Review from

    • 6 friends
    • 4 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    5.0 star rating
    8/10/2011

    As a resident of Regent Square, it's great to welcome a restaurant that is a little bit fancy, but not too pretentious.  Alma fits the bill with plenty of options between small plates, sandwiches, and entrees.  The food is flavorful and unique and the waitstaff is very accommodating.  

    If you go, I highly recommend the plantains as an appetizer.  Prior to getting our entrees, I told my husband it was worth going back for them alone!

    The only bad thing about Alma was that I could only choose one thing to eat for dinner! Guess that means I will have to keep going back to try out the rest...

  • Review from

    • 20 friends
    • 12 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    3.0 star rating
    12/11/2011

    I want to like Alma. My experiences have been good enough that I'll be back, however, they could stand to improve on a few fronts before I'll be a regular.

    My first visit was during their "soft" opening before they had the cantina up and running. I went with a group, which afforded me the opportunity to try several dishes besides my own. Of the appetizers ordered, I loved the Plátanos maduros con salsa de habichuelas (Cuba) $5 (Sweet, ripe plantains with spicy bean sauce), but the fried yuca was extremely dry and bland, downright bad.

    I tried the mango and arugula salad, which should have been an easy win, since that should be a great combo, but it was lacking something to really bring it together. I could have saved the $7. For my entree, I ordered the Plato vegetariano con quinua y ensalada de choclo ($13; vegetarian plate with quinoa, assorted fresh vegetables and hominy). It was okay, though the quinoa was replaced with rice and the server did not mention this when I ordered nor when the dish was brought.  A minor point perhaps, but quinoa is a nice source of protein for us vegetarians, so that was disappointing and further added to the nutritional imbalance of the plate. A major pet peeve of mine is that too many restaurants do not think through their vegetarian options, just pulling the meat off the plate, leaving essentially a side dish to stand on its own, and failing to ensure that the dish will be a filling meal. While this dish would be a fine side accompaniment to an animal protein based entree, alone it was a bit under-filling. The portion was modest and the  plate was dominated by a large (3" x 4" x 0.5") slice of grilled, but nearly raw, zucchini. Zucchini is more or less nutritionally devoid and even a slice of that size has almost no calories. Great for your diet and water intake, lousy at filling you up (not to mention rather bland in its raw state). The flavors were fine, but I was not wowed.

    I tried my friends' Arepa de vegetales con plátanos maduros  ($11; fresh beets, avocado, cabbage and cilantro on an unleavened Columbian corn pastry with sweet plantains) with much the same reaction. The portion was too modest, given the lack of calories and protein and the execution was uneven. It wasn't bad, but it was lacking...something. The Vegetales al tagine ($13; fig and date rice with assorted fresh vegetables and tagine sauce) fared a little better since the tagine sauce was pleasantly flavorful and livened up the plate.

    The Biscochito de chocolate con dulce de leche y helado de canela ($6; warm chocolate cake with a sweet center, topped with cinnamon ice cream) was as delicious as it sounds.

    I've gone back a couple of times since that early foray, (most recently the last Friday  of October)  and I'm happy to report that they have somehow managed to mitigate the unbelievable noise with appropriate acoustic paneling. It was so bad during our first visit that the server got one of our orders wrong through no fault of her own. That point alone would have kept me from going back, so it is a critical improvement.

    On my second visit, I tried the one remaining untasted veg option, the Torrejitas de frijolitos ($13; pan-seared legume cakes served with collard greens and ripe plantains), and was pleased to find it considerably better than it's compatriots. The legume cakes offer protein to fill you up, the fried plantains are a deliciously savory-sweet complement to the bitter collard greens. I liked this dish so much that I ordered it on my last visit, however, I did not find it to be executed quite as well. The plantains seemed a bit undercooked, but the flavors still melded nicely.

    The service has been good, though some of the staff could use a bit more training. Some servers were still getting to know the menu, and a few were of the eager-but-young type -- friendly and well-intentioned, but a little unpolished.

    I am hopeful that with a little time, Alma will blossom into its own since I think the menu is promising and I like the concept. They need to work on consistency, both in the execution of the dishes and in service, and I would definitely like to see them tweak their vegetarian options with an eye toward heartier and more nutritionally-balanced plates.

  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 3 reviews

    Oakdale, PA

    1.0 star rating
    2/19/2012

    I was so horrified by the food served here. How dare they label the items on their menu as puerto rican or dominican. It was the most bland food I have ever had. Being puerto rican myself, the food here was an embarrassment to the Latin culture. I should have stayed home and cooked a REAL arroz con gandules.

  • Review from

    • 5 friends
    • 22 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    4.0 star rating
    7/1/2011

    Another restaurant from the man who opened Abay?! We couldn't be more excited! My husband and I were eagerly waiting for this restaurant to open, and were able to eat there only 4 days after there opening. Seeing the word "cantina" in one of the windows, we assumed that we were going to have a Mexican restaurant moving into the neighborhood. We were pleasantly surprised when we looked into the restaurant a little more, and discovered it's actually Latin American food focusing on African influenced items.

    Although the cantina section of the restaurant is not open yet (they said it will open in the next few months) we had a fantastic time and great food at Alma. For an app, we ate the french-fry like Yuca frita con salsitas de Alma (Dominican Republic) $5 -- Crispy yuca with Alma sauces. The sauces they came with were scrumptious, as were the yuca strips.  My entree was the vegeterian Torrejitas de frijolitos (Alma) $11 ---
    Pan-seared legume cakes served with collard greens and ripe plantains (v). I was very impressed with the textures, and flavors on this plate! My husband got the  Sándwich Cubano con chancho queso y jamón (Cuba) 11$
    Toasted Cuban sandwich on traditional artisan bread with slow-roasted pork, ham and Jarlsberg cheese. Although a man of few words, he guarenteed me this was a most excellent sandwich. To to finish it off, we had the Biscochito de chocolate con dulce de leche y helado de canela (Alma)  6$---
    Warm chocolate cake with a sweet center, topped with cinnamon ice cream. This was the highlight. My husband and I split this very, rich desert and it was AMAZING.

    We are so please to have this amazing new restaurant in our neighborhood. If they cantina had been opened when we visited, I am sure that I would have rated this restaurant a 5!

  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 1 review

    Pittsburgh, PA

    3.0 star rating
    1/2/2012

    Atmosphere is great and food is good just a little over seasoned... To salty! We have gone twice and had the same problem, mostly on the main course.

  • Review from

    • 2 friends
    • 48 reviews

    New York, NY

    5.0 star rating
    8/30/2011

    This is THE best tasting food I have ever had the 'burgh. Seriously. As a person raised on many of the items on the menu, I think Alma does an excellent job of carefully executing the flavors as they should. The Ropa Vieja with Arroz y Gandules I had here was excellent.

  • Review from

    • 2 friends
    • 4 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    5.0 star rating
    8/7/2011

    This was first on our series of surprise Fridays- my mate and I take turns taking each other out to a restaurant we have never been to. And boy, did it knock his socks off. We had to wait almost 45 minutes for a table but it was worth it. We ordered the fried chicken to begin with and it was perfect. I must say tongue-met-cup in the case of the amazing sauce that accompanied the chicken. We followed up with the Peruvian chicken curry. We had been to Peru earlier this year and this one was right up there. We ordered the coconut flan for dessert and it didn't disappoint. I will be back to see if the tres leches matches the one the hubster makes!
    Definitely one of the top 10 places in the city. Noise levels could be pretty high though.

  • Review from

    • 3 friends
    • 3 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    4.0 star rating
    7/10/2011

    Last summer in New York City, my girlfriend and I discovered the wonderful world of Cuban food, and we were more than disappointed when we found out that it really didn't have strong representation in Pittsburgh.  I hadn't really heard anything about this restaurant prior to giving it a try.  But the fact it was referred to as a "sister" restaurant to Abay, was more than enough to earn it a vist.

    We ordered one appetizer (Papitas Rellenas) and 2 entrees (Chuletas Puerco/Bife steak Chimchurri).  All of which looked and smelled fantastic.  The appetizer arrived shortly after being ordered and was full of subtle flavors and is perfect for 2-3 people to share.  

    The main courses probably took much longer to come out, but were well worth the wait.  I ordered the Pork, which was cooked to perfection and was loaded with flavors.  Spicy, with a big cilantro punch.  It was supplemented with a white sweet potato puree and pineapple.  Both of which were very sweet and complimented the tastes of the pork nicely.  My girlfriend ordered the Steak which came with plenty of meat and a healthy serving of black beans and rice.  The Beans were amongst the best I have tasted and the rice had a lot of flavor too.  The steak wasn't particularly unique, but it was definitely high quality meat.

    We really enjoyed our experience there and are looking to go back and give it a go once the Cantina is complete.  So far so good at Alma.  We will see you again soon.

  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 5 reviews

    Zelienople, PA

    5.0 star rating
    3/9/2012

    Top notch drinks.  Top notch food.  Man, this place is good.

  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 10 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    4.0 star rating
    8/25/2011

    Good spot in regent square. Nice atmosphere,  good service, decent wine list, and good food. I had three appetizers - the arugula salad, which was great, the scallops, which were tasty, but TINY (only 6 of them, and they were more like bay than sea scallops), and the octopus salad, which was tasty but heavy on the beans, which was unexpected. Wines were a nice selection from Spain and South America. Service was knowledgeable and attentive. Overall highly recommended, particularly if they up the size of the scallop appetizer!

  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 1 review

    Pittsburgh, PA

    2.0 star rating
    1/18/2012

    The fish of the day was over salted, whilst the chicken and rice were as bland and mushy as microwaved leftovers. The butternut squash soup was also similarly flavorless. Nothing we had was bad, really, but for a place with prices running an average o $14 to $24 a plate, you should be able to expect better. Didn't hate the food, but I just can't recommend it.

  • Review from

    • 8 friends
    • 26 reviews

    Pittsburgh, PA

    2.0 star rating
    9/1/2011

    Alma is right around the corner from us and the food seemed right up our alley, so I was beyond excited to try this place out! We were on our way back from somewhere and had our dog with us, so after a short wait we sat outside. I have to say, the service was absolutely horrendous. Mind you, we were in absolutely no rush and I was ready for a leisurely experience but the service was BEYOND slow. The mango margarita was delicious (though rather pricey for such a small, ice-laden glass) and the food was ok (I had an arepa, my boyfriend had a Cuban sandwich). We were both excited to try the Yuca fries that came with his sandwich but were pretty disappointed at how much they lacked flavor (good ol' regular fries would have been a thousand times better) and the bean dip that was supposed to come with them tasted uncannily like thinly veiled mayo. I SO badly wanted to like this place, but it was fair at best.

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