Almond

Located in the famed home of Rocco DiSpirito's failed reality show restaurant, the traditional French-American "Almond" offers a high class menu at a reasonable price, which may be exactly what the doctor ordered during these rough economic times.

While dining at "Almond" the other night, we transformed their typical menu in an enjoyable tapas-style meal. We started off with the Select Cheeses ($14.75), which included four different pieces: a buttery Gorgonzola, a Parmigiano-Reggiano with balsamic vinegar, a particularly creamy Mozzarella, and a light Camembert. In addition to the slices of cheese, the plate came equipped with both dried cranberries and dried apricots, as well as walnuts and slices of toasted bread. The platter was very nice, but somewhat generic.

Next, we had the Escargot ($11.50), which was cooked in a butter-based garlic and Pernod sauce, and topped with small cubes of toasted bread. I found the snails at "Almond" to be particularly enjoyable, since they were not particularly tough, and the garlic-Pernod sauce created a delicious flavor.

We followed with another mollusk: Steamed Black Mussels ($9 for small, $15 for large). The mussels were served in a white wine sauce with shallots, and topped with parsley. The mussels themselves were standard, nothing to write home about. The sauce however was quite enjoyable. Light but extremely flavorful.

We finished with "Le Grand Macaroni & Cheese," which included penne served with prosciutto and chopped truffles ($18.25). In my opinion, it was a little overpriced for macaroni and cheese, but it was worth every penny. The cheese was still warm and filled with distinct flavors, and when mixed with the ham and truffles, the dish was absolutely delicious.

"Almond" was an enjoyable and I'd highly recommend it to any diner. And after the failure of both "Rocco's on 22nd" and "Brasserio Caviar and Banana," it's nice to see a success.

P.S. While I really enjoyed my cocktail, I was advised by a fellow diner that it was too limey. I had the St. Germain cocktail, which included gin, St. Germain elderflower liquer, and fresh lime.


Almond
12 East 22nd Street
(at Broadway)
(212) 228-7557