Grace K.
Yelp
Alba Ristorante is a must-visit! Alba is a city in Italy, known for its white truffles.
It's located in Hotel Granduca (a 5-star hotel) in Uptown Houston, created by the owner Giorgio Borlenghi. The restaurant is located to the right of valet service. There is self-parking on the left side of the hotel. This restaurant is a classic Italian place with divine sophistication, as it follows the theme throughout Hotel Granduca.
Upon entrance, there is a private/large party dining table directly in front with about 9 tables to the right of the hostess. You are greeted and given a complimentary glass of Prosecco, which was delicious and chilled. I recommend making a reservation online, as there is limited seating. It's not packed yet though.
FOOD:
Complimentary amousse bouche to start the palate.
Smoked Bison Carpaccio (4/5, Lightly smoked bison carpaccio, greens, Parmigiano shaving): Delicious. Light yet tasty with great flavors. I highly recommend this. The bison was very tender. At the top of this appetizer, there is a small concoction of vegetables (similar to what you find in shepherd's pie except without the meat). It fit very well with everything, including the light balsamic reduction.
Foie Gras Torchone (3/5, Duck foie gras, date mousse, baba bread, pink peppercorn): I tried a bite of this. I wasn't too carried away. It was average for me. There was a bit of sweetness when mixed with everything, especially with the date mousse and slice of pear.
Acquerello Risotto, Barolo, Ossobucco (5/5, 1-year aged rice, barolo wine reduction, veal ossobucco, local "Lira Rossa" cheese): I can say this was amazing! It's definitely the top 3 of the risotto dishes I've tried. You must order this. Tender ossobucco. Very rich in flavor that leaves you wanting for more.
Duck Breast (3/5, Parsnips puree, mushroom, baby artichoke, raspberry sauce): My friend loves duck, but he wasn't impressed by this. He thought it was decent. I tried a bite of the breast, which is cooked to medium temperature. The parsnips puree adds a mildly sweet taste to this dish, which works.
Chocolate Fondant (5/5, Salted caramel and vanilla ice cream): There was a hazelnut crisp at the top that melts into the glass when the warmly-heated salted caramel is poured into this dish. The brownie at the bottom was baked fresh, so this dessert takes a bit of time to prepare. It was heavenly, and I would definitely order again. Everything blended well together, and none of the ingredients were over-powering.
Awesome service from the start to the end. Very intimate. Loved the whole dining experience. The chef will also walk around and chat with the guests. You are given a glass of Prosecco when you check in the front, and you are given its homemade hazelnut flavored chocolate at the end.
Would I come back? Definitely yes.