Since Alma has moved to the Standard we have dined there about half dozen times and it was always an incredible dining experience with subtle flavors and delicate preparations.
Yesterday, at Alma, I have experienced one of the worst meals in years. Taymor was apparently out of town in Australia. The execution of the dishes was deplorable. Flavors and textures of every dish were off. I realized how nuanced and balanced are his preparations, so the food went from incredible to inedible in his absence. Beignets were soggy, uni/burrata/caviar was mushy and tasted horrible, and the octopus was definitely the worst I ever tried. They might as well have served a sliced piece of rubber. In hamachi “crudo” the fish was really warm some reason. The frozen foie gras felt like porridge. The only dishes that worked were warm smoked salmon and cabbage salad.
All the sauces were very acidic. There were easily 15-20 minute gaps between each plate coming out, even though the restaurant was nearly empty.
I do not know what to make of it, but there is no way I am dining there again, so strong is the revulsion caused by this meal.
Perhaps if anyone goes they need to check if Taymor is in the house.