Restaurant Review: Alta

Alta
64 W. 10th St., New York, NY 10011
between Fifth and Sixth Aves.
212-505-7777


The other day my friend Aaron and I found ourselves sitting in a bar just south of Union Square looking for a place to meet some friends for dinner. We wanted to go to a place that was relatively informal, that neither of us had been to before and one where the food would be generally accessible by even non-adventurous eaters. (Aaron wouldn’t let me pick Momofuku.)
After some deliberating and browsing through New York Magazine, we decided on Alta. We wanted a tapas style meal and he wanted a place where they definitely served Sangria. After he called to make sure the delicious, fruity wine concoction was available (it was!) we made up our minds.

From the outside, Alta appears to be a non-descript neighborhood bar, located on the south side of West 10th street just off of 6th avenue. You’ll miss it if you’re not looking for it. However, once you walk in, the dimly lit narrow bar room that precedes the main dining room exudes energy and ‘trendiness’, with patrons sharing small dishes and drinks in what aspires to be a Tapas setting. This is definitely a place to take a date.

While the plates are small, and the cuisine is semi-Spanish with sides of Marcona almonds, and the words ‘Piquillo,’ ‘Aleppo,’ and ‘chorizo’ scattered all over the menu, the food is a bit too fussy to be traditional Tapas. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Of the several dishes we tried several were delicious, some were good, and a few didn’t quite work.

When head Chef Harrison Moshler keeps his dishes uncomplicated, and lets the flavors of the ingredients come out on their own, the food really shines. The shredded pork with 40 minute soft cooked egg helped fulfill my pork craving for the night while the soft cooked egg added just enough extra richness without going over the top. A dish of perfectly seared sea scallops over an artichoke puree with yuzu mayonnaise, balanced textures and tastes perfectly. The crispy brown scallop top contrasting with the artichoke puree and the acidity of the yuzu mayonnaise providing enough spark to really open up the taste buds. The tuna tartare with macadamia nuts, hearts of palm and chorizo was also a real winner. The crunchy macadamia nuts and hearts of palm differing just enough from the soft fattiness of the tuna to distract you from its deliciousness, only to make it taste so much better when you finally come back.

Crispy Brussels sprouts were not bad for what they were, but instead of crispy, the chef might have been more informative had he used a word like charred or a phrase like burnt into unidentifiable blackness. Nonetheless, the apples in the dish made it manageable. It’s not something I would order again though.

Some dishes however, were perhaps a little too ambitious. Tuna tataki, cantaloupe cloud, marsala caviar, prosciutto flakes, and toasted hazelnuts seemed to lack any sort of identity, the ever growing ‘cloud’ of cantaloupe devouring and overwhelming the too delicate prosciutto flakes and the seared tuna. Do we really need ‘clouds’ of cantaloupe? Is crème fraiche ‘foam’ really necessary? If it is, they actually have two kinds. Why stop at crème fraiche foam when you can also have the ‘crème fraiche-verjus’ as offered with crabmeat cannelloni. I was given so much information about every menu item except for one. What might be in the “Philadelphia Truffle Surprise?” Cream Cheese and truffles? Truffled cheese steak? I couldn’t quite figure it out and wasn’t about to ask our absentee waitress about the contents.

In fact, the service left something to be desired. The food wasn’t really served in any sort of logical order and we had to ask about our oxtail ravioli several times before it was brought to our table an hour and a half into our meal.

When Alta tries to stay relatively close to tradition, many of the offerings can be very good and is definitely a place to go to with a group of people that want to whimsically eat drink and be merry. However, the prevalence of too many foams, clouds, and other words for fluffy things on the menu, make detract a little from what has the potential to be a serious place for foodies. For the price (200 for a group of 4 including tax tip, 2 drinks a person and 9 small plates) Alta is a fun place to hang out and take a date or a group of friends. I just wish they would take their food a little more seriously.

B (I may sound vindictive at times but I can see myself going back with the right people.)


Who to take:

The environment and affordability of Alta make it a great place for anyone in their twenties. It would also be fun to sit at the bar, grab a quick drink or two and have a few small dishes before a night on the town. Definitely a good date or party spot, but not necessarily a place for devoted, serious diners.