Restaurant Alba
7 West King Street
Malvern, Pennsylvania
(610) 644-4009
http:// www.restaurantalba.com
Printable Copy of this Review
Restaurant Alba is one of the Main Line's hottest meal tickets - I mean, just try securing a reservation on a free-for-all Saturday night without calling several weeks in advance. Word has gotten around, Craig LaBan has bestowed his coveted imprimatur ("Very Good," Philadelphia Inquirer, 10/16/05), and all is right with the world.
One can't help but wonder, of course, how many of these highly-touted, highly-rated eateries, Restaurant Alba included, will manage to maintain their integrity in the face of so much hired-belly hoopla and inevitable influx of galloping gastronomic groupies. Well, as far as this writer is concerned, chef/proprietor Sean Weinberg and his wife, Kelly, are more than equal to the task. On my first call, the cuisine was very, very good. Subsequent visits have quickly edged up the excellence plateau.
Mr. Weinberg, a graduate of the CIA, did an absolutely superb job holding forth in the kitchen of his parents' Rose Tattoo Café in Philadelphia. Now firmly ensconced at the helm of his own BYOB establishment in Malvern, the young chef is able to give full vent to his passionate and inventive culinary spirit. His menu is an energetic, eclectic bill of fare - ranging from Italy to Mexico, with numerous intriguing ports of call in between - featuring slow-braised game, homemade pastas, and the scintillating sensuality of meats and seafood kissed by his open kitchen's wood-fired grill.
From the late summer menu, starters were highlighted by an exquisite salad of meaty heirloom tomatoes ($9.00). Juicy slices were interspersed with segments of Mr. Weinberg's delicious house-made mozzarella, garnished with basil leaves, aged balsamic vinegar & olive oil, and partnered with a thick slice of perfectly grilled Tuscan bread.
The grilled octopus ($10.00) was also quite good, though slightly overwhelmed by a chickpea salad bathed in an assertive lemon-oregano vinaigrette. With the coming of the early winter menu, however, this appetizer was replaced with an excellent presentation of tender grilled calamari companioned by a garlicky white bean/olive oil purée and splash of zesty charred tomato vinaigrette ($12.00).
But the real stars of the show are the slow-braised venison ($10.00) and foie gras ravioli ($12.00). The former exhibited the sensuously succulent consistency of pulled pork and found perfect partners in an island of crispy polenta and pool of Parmesan fonduta (a sumptuous Italian fondue comprised of Fontina cheese, milk, eggs, and hint of truffle). The latter offering consisted of two beautifully textured ravioli filled with lavishly decadent liver and a consummately complementary balsamic vinegar sauce.
When it comes to entrées, diners will quickly discover that Mr. Weinberg is equally adept with meat, fish, or fowl. His grilled hanger steak ($22.00), for example, is remarkably tender and rife with flavor (which is not always the case with this particular cut) and is presented pre-sliced with an enticing Bordelaise sauce. Finishing touches include a pillow of thoroughly addictive garlic mashed potatoes and delightful blend of caramelized hedgehog mushrooms and Brussels sprouts. And his "Duck Two Ways" ($23.00) features luscious medium rare slices of grilled breast teamed with a completely engaging kumquat vinaigrette and sinfully rich salad of duck leg confit.
And piscatorial pleasures are also well served. The swordfish ($23.00) is a slender steak that is perfectly cooked, proudly displaying its indelibly delicate crisscross grill marks. It arrives on a pillow of savory milk-poached garlic & potato purée and mélange of charred vegetables (zucchini spears, fennel, and red peppers) and consummated with a superlative herb butter sauce. The moist and flaky halibut filet, on the other hand, is prepared "Portuguese Style" and swims to table in a sprightly orange/mussel broth awash with thick slices of chorizo sausage, sweet corn, and diminutive potatoes ($24.00).
The chef requests no substitutions, but diners are free to order sides from other dishes to complement their meal, should one or two strike their fancy. In this regard, be sure to sample the incomparably rich and earthy bleu cheese and potato gratin ($3.00). Completely addictive, totally delicious and, should you be an incorrigible spud fan, surely worth the price of admission.
Desserts ($7.00) - some made in-house, others imported from the Rose Tattoo - are not quite on the same level as their predecessors, but they are still quite satisfying. I particularly enjoyed the densely textured apricot Basque cake delightfully counterpoised with a dollop of pistachio ice cream; also quite excellent were the coconut cream pie with crumbled macaroons and peach crostata garnished with vanilla ice cream. The Key lime cheesecake was good but not exceptional. You also might want to consider the restaurant's attractively presented artisanal cheese plate ($12.00), a most civilized denouement to your evening at table.
In conclusion, with respect to Restaurant Alba's logistics, permit me to quote Mr. LaBan's review: "It is possible that that first meal felt a little flat because we were seated in the small room on the side, which is relatively quiet and pleasant, but separated from the hubbub next door. A second meal in the bustling main space, with Weinberg's grill in view torching the autumn air with fragrant heat, the evening's energy was palpable." Well... yes and no.
If you're in the mood for an intimate tête-à-tête, the side room is, indeed, a preferable location. Just make certain that you are not deposited near the rear curtains, where you will be strategically situated within earshot of a bustling service area and nose-shot of the john.
On the other hand, if you're with a group, in the mood to party hearty, and are not allergic to the constant clamorous comings and goings of members of the wait staff as well as other patrons, the front room is definitely where the action is. Just one small point. Mr. LaBan intimates that you will be personally privy to the provocative pyrotechnics of Mr. Weinberg's wood-fired grill. Once again... yes and no. Should you be seated at table with your gluteus maximus bolstered by a dozen or so telephone books, you will undoubtedly have a bird's-eye view of this culinary conflagration. Failing that, you will, regretfully, catch a fleeting glimpse of Mr. Weinberg's head and shoulders only.
Regardless of the seating arrangements, however, Restaurant Alba is highly recommended on all counts.
March 2006
The Artful Diner
The Artful Diner writes restaurant reviews for nj.com. His most current review can be seen on his nj.com weblog at http://www.nj.com/weblogs/artfuldiner/. An archive of past reviews for New Jersey Online as well as reviews for restaurants around the country and the world can be found on this Web site at http://www.artfuldiner.com/reviews .
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