Alma
Day 1: 5-Course Ottoman Opulence Tasting Series
Just opened this past June, this exceptional eatery in Northeast Portland set out with the goal of celebrating Balkan culinary heritage - a mission that's landed it on Eater’s July List of “Best New Restaurants and Food Carts in Portland.” Chef/Owner Vedran Jordan came to the US as a 12-year-old refugee from Sarajevo. After cutting his teeth cooking at Bamboo Sushi, Gado Gado, and Oma’s Hideaway, in addition to becoming James Beard Award-Winning Chef Gregory Gourdet's mentee at Departures, he capitalized on an opportunity to strike out on his own with Alma, a name chosen in honor of his mother. Dinner here is almost ethnographic in nature, as diners discover wholly unknown “Ottoman Era” dishes like imam bayildi (roasted eggplant, tomatoes, fried oyster mushrooms, and yogurt), lamb neck and yogurt corba (a soupy stew with dried mint chickpeas, and za’atar), as well as Mama Alma’s squid salata with braised chard and leeks, potatoes, sweet onion, and grape vinegar. All to say, we are very excited about our visit here and about the opportunity to chat with Chef Jordan about his journey and the Balkans' culinary traditions.
About the Host:
Vedran Jordan
Chef/Owner
Chef Vedran Jordan first came to the US as a 12-year-old refugee from Sarajevo. After cutting his teeth cooking at Bamboo Sushi, Gado Gado, Oma’s Hideaway, and Award-Winning Chef Gregory Gourdet's Departures, he opened Alma in honor of his mother.
The Lineup
All courses will be individually plated. This menu will be Gluten and Nut Free. For the list of restrictions Chef is accommodating, scroll to the bottom of this page.
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Alma's Squid Salata
braised squid, leek, chard, potato, sweet onion, crispy tentacle, grape vinegar, dill
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Crispy Kabocha Squash
tahini, tomato, crispy anchovy & maitake mushroom crunch
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Cabbage Salata
charcoal charred cabbage, braised lamb neck, lamb jus, wild mushroom, white fungus, grated goat cheese
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Pacific Northwest Salmon & Koji
koji yogurt sauce, radish, sugar snap pea, crispy fish scale furikake
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Šampita
lemon cake, toasted mallow fluff, berry compote
Alma
5237 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Portland, OR 97211
Event FAQs
- Do guests need to be of a certain age to attend this event?
- Yes. All attendees must be 21+ to gain entry.
- Does this restaurant allow BYOB?
- No. This restaurant is a non-BYO establishment. Outside alcohol will not be permitted at this event.
- What is the event ticket cancellation/refund policy?
- Restaurants purchase the food for our events 14 days before the event date, at which point we are on the hook for the cost of your ticket. As such, we are not able to offer refunds (or credits towards future events) for any cancellation requests submitted within 14 days of the event date. We will, however, issue full refunds for all cancellation requests submitted at least 14 days before the event date. All cancellation requests must be submitted via email to support@tastingcollective.com.
- Will this event be handicap acccessible?
- According to the restaurant, this event is NOT handicap accessible. If applicable, please email support@tastingcollective.com with your needs to ask questions about proper accommodations.
- What dietary restrictions/food allergies can be accommodated at this event?
- Due to the large-format nature of our events, restaurants are not able to accommodate all dietary restrictions/food allergies or make any menu adjustments based on food preferences (e.g distaste for specific ingredients/flavor profiles). This restaurant will be offering substitutions exclusively for the following restrictions/allergies: Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Dairy, Fish, Shellfish, Mushroom. They are NOT accommodating restrictions related to the following ingredients: Alliums. If you have any of these restrictions/allergies, please make sure to note this in your profile (in the “Event Preferences” section) either before or right after purchasing your tickets so Chef can prepare accordingly.
