This is what the promise of the food revolution was supposed to deliver: young, talented chefs forging their own paths in funky, unexpected spaces, simultaneously elevating our cities and our palates. Alma chef-owner Ari Taymor has carved a very cool niche for himself. His restaurant, on Broadway downtown, is nestled among parking lots and empty-looking buildings yet manages to feel both airy and intimate. His food is a lot of next-generation riffing: Beignets are made with seaweed and tofu, while sunchoke soup is poured over an egg yolk and a paste made of amaranth for a sweet, creamy, smoky experience that's as cerebral as it is sensual. There are moments when the food can be too precious, and times when you get the sense that the creator loves an idea too much in theory to see its failures on the plate. But mostly, Alma is an exercise in watching the future happen now, in seeing what happens when chefs push the boundaries of creativity on the ground level, in our neighborhoods, without pretense. 952 S. Broadway, dwntwn.; (213) 444-0984, alma-la.com. Tues.-Sat., 6-10 p.m. Entrees $16-$26. Beer and wine.

 

Besha Rodell's Introduction

Anne Fishbein's Photography

The Google Map

 

The 99 Essential Restaurants List:

A-Frame
Alma
Angelini Osteria
Animal
Attari Sandwich Shop
Bäco Mercat
Bar Amá
The Bazaar
Bestia
BierBeisl
Bludso's
Cacao Mexicatessen
Canelé
La Casita Mexicana
Cemitas Poblanas Elviritas
Chichen Itza
Chung King
Cole's
Coni'Seafood
Cube Cafe & Marketplace
Din Tai Fung
Eva
Father's Office
Fred 62
Gjelina
Golden Deli
Go's Mart
Il Grano
Guelaguetza
Guisados
Hatfield's
Ha Tien Quan
Hawkins House of Burgers
Hayat's Kitchen
El Huarache Azteca
Huckleberry
The Hungry Cat
ink.
Jar
Jitlada
JTYH Heavy Noodle II
Kang Ho Dong Baekjong
Kiriko
Kiyokawa
Kogi Truck
Krua Siri
L&E Oyster Bar
Langer's
Little Dom's
Lucques
Ludo Truck
Lukshon
Mariscos Jalisco
Matsuhisa
Meals by Genet
Mélisse
Milo and Olive
Mo-Chica
Musso & Frank
Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa
Nickel Diner
Night + Market
Oinkster
Osteria Mozza
Pann's
Pa-Ord Noodle
El Parian
Park's BBQ
Philippe the Original
Picca
Pink's
Pizzeria Mozza
Playa
Pollo a la Brasa
Providence
R&R Soul Food
Ración
Red Medicine
Ricky's Fish Tacos
Rivera
Rocio's Moles de los Dioses
Salt's Cure
Sapp Coffee Shop
Savoy Kitchen
Sea Harbour
Shanghai No. 1 Village Seafood
Soban
Son of a Gun
Sotto
Spago
The Spice Table
Superba Snack Bar
Tacos Leo
The Tasting Kitchen
Tavern
Tsujita LA
Vincenti Ristorante
Wurstküche
Zam Zam Market

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