Ambiance: 8 – Alembic, known for their unique cocktails, opens with a bar in the front and a small but cozy restaurant in the back. Make sure you have reservations or come early, because the bar crowds quickly, and there is a no-standing rule. The restaurant carried a casual and relaxed, yet eclectic vibe.
Cocktails: 9 Cocktails…yes, the cocktails. My oh my, the cocktails. Knowing that Alembic is known for their delicious mixtures, we all kicked off the night with a round of our own. A few rough starts with cocktail selections that made us look as though we were having our first drink, were led to a successful finish, after a few coughs and many thanks to our server whose recommendations were always a welcomed refreshment. The “southern exposure” proved to be quite a hit, which was served up with gin, fresh mint, lime juice, a touch of sugar and a little shot of fresh celery juice (the wild card). It was clean, refreshing and not too strong. For those of us who opted for the prix fixe meal in advance, cocktails were paired with each course, to draw out and highlight the flavors associated with each dish. As I search for a word to describe the cocktails paired with the food, “strong” is the only adjective that comes to mind. Tasty, yes, but perhaps better fit for a Friday night rather than a Wednesday, with two more days of work hanging over our heads. I myself, ended up opting for a glass of wine instead of the cocktails..you love what you know, right? The wine was absolutely delicious! With multiple glasses of the same wine, you would think we would remember what the wine was…or perhaps that’s exactly why we don’t. It was similar to a Malbec, and was a medium-bodied deliciously inviting wine, with the perfect hint of spice and smooth to keep the sips coming. The wine was, of course, recommended by our amazing server and this one also delivered a winner.
Food: 7 We kicked off the dinner with a few orders of the Homemade Sumac potato ships which were a hit – carrying a garlic-lemon yogurt sauce for dipping. They had just the right amount of spice, salt and cool to be a refreshing start to the night. We then moved on to the Prix Fixe portion of the evening which we all opted for. A few of the girls chose the Hiramasa Crudo, a very tender fish served with celery ribbons, asian pear, yuzu-yogurt. Another popular selection was the slow roasted pork loin, served with broccoli rabe and fingerling potatoes – a delicious option, albeit not very much of it, which left us wanting more! Overall, portion sizes were a bit on the small size, but with so many various dishes, we were able to still save room for dessert! And so glad we did - the hazelnut cake was a all-over favorite – laden with salted caramel and compressed asian pear, it was a perfect marriage of salty-sweet.
Price: 7 - Overall, the cost was pretty average and the Prix Fixe option that include appetizer, entree and dessert for $30, was just perfect for all of us.
Noise Level: 7 – The tables are situated pretty close together, cramping the restaurant a bit and leading to a noisy dining experience. With a larger group girls, it was difficult to hear each other, and this place is probably better suited for a round of cocktails, or a smaller group of people.
Service: 9 – Great service – our server was a world of knowledge and had great recommendations for us all which were a hit every time! She listened to exactly what we were looking for and recommended the cocktail(s) that fit each of our criteria – amazing!
All About The Area: Alembic is located in the
Overall Grade: 8
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