"At Alma, chef Vedran Jordan combines family traditions with years of experience cooking in kitchens around Portland, offering his own take on Balkan cuisine. Per Balkan tradition, the menu is designed for sharing. Beef and chicken are often eschewed in favor of lamb and seafood galore: a pile of clams, clever preparations of squid, octopus with muhamarra, whole branzino, tiny fried smelt. But veggie dishes, including a deceptively simple roasted eggplant, are equally captivating."
"Cocktails here are creative enough to make you do a double take - think lamb fat-washed mezcal or sticky figgy syrup with house yogurt liqueur. Wines are a mix of Willamette Valley, Croatian, and Bosnian, with a good number of skin-contact whites. The most intriguing option, though, is the Balkan-style rakija from local one-man distillery Tuff Talk. This brandy comes in three varieties: one with grape pomace, one from foraged plums, and one from wine lees."
Alma blends family traditions and Portland culinary experience to present Balkan cuisine designed for sharing. The menu emphasizes lamb and seafood, offering clams, squid preparations, octopus with muhamarra, whole branzino, and tiny fried smelt alongside captivating vegetable dishes like roasted eggplant. Corba stews appear in rotating variations such as lamb neck with yogurt and chickpeas, dried Turkish okra with chicken, or tomato with fermented yogurt. Cocktails feature bold twists like lamb fat-washed mezcal and fig syrup with yogurt liqueur. Wine selections include Willamette Valley, Croatian, and Bosnian bottles, and local rakija arrives in three distinct varieties. Meals begin with black tea and end with Turkish delight.
Read at Eater Portland
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