By CARLY CHAAPEL

Ten steps to the proper consumption of a slice of Café Alma’s chocolate cake:

1. Listen for the chef’s specialty dessert of the evening (chocolate cake).
2. Order it to go. You’re already full from dinner.
3. Sneak a finger-full of freshly whipped cream from beneath the lid.
4. Ogle at its buttery richness.
5. Allow for at least fifteen minutes of dinner’s digestion before consuming. A car ride back to campus should make for perfect timing.
6. Re-plate your slice, up to and including every last drop of crème anglaise.
7. Sneak downstairs and to the least-disturbed part of your complex, shielding the goods from curious eyes. There will be zero sharing.
8. Sink your fork into its spongy, moist center. Be sure that your bite includes the proper 3:1 cake-ganache ratio.
9. Plan ahead: the last and most delectable bite should unquestionably include a halved strawberry, cake, icing, and whipped cream.
10. Until then, savor each bite. Let each scrumptious element linger on your tongue. Laugh at the enormous care that you’ve taken to enjoy this dessert. You may even want to lick the plate.

But what comes before satisfying your voracious desire for a rich, sugar-laden happy ending? A savory meal in one of downtown St. Petersburg’s most eclectic cafés, of course. Café Alma, located at 260 1st AveS, offers colorful brunch (fantastic for Easter!), lunch, and dinner menus, as well as two-for-one drink specials and the occasional live concert on the outdoor patio. The friendly European-esque atmosphere appeals to young businesspeople in search of a relaxing drink and pleasant company after a day at work. Though this caféis indeed in the United States and therefore will not servemy under-21-year-old self their extensive selection of wines and spirits, Tess and I still thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience. 

As yet another muggy day in Florida had cooled to a lovely evening temperature, we chose to sit on the outdoor patio. A rustic brick floor, a few strings of white lights, and a tile-mosaic table for two awaited us. Our amiable waitress Angela brought out a bread basket and whipped herb butter while we mulled over the menu selections. After much debate, I decided against a Tapas appetizer and ordered the Alma Trio entrée. Our dishes arrived in fine time (it was quite vacant on this Wednesday evening), and the sweet and spicy aromas ascending from my dish immediately invigorated my senses. My triple-threat meal was comprised of crab cake with spicy aioli, a grilled shrimp (though to my displeasure it was not depooped) and scallop skewer with mango salsa, and the most luscious steak I’ve consumed since viewing Food, Inc. My generous serving of yellow squash (food #2 that I’ve recently found pleasing when cooked the right way), green beans, and tomatoes sautéed in garlic complemented the meat, but the center mound of roasted sweet potatoes was most delightful after a generous swirl around the steak sauce. The steak sauce! Now ordinarily I’d be satisfied with a bottle of A1, but this textured sauce with a layer of sweet citrusyundertones set my taste buds on fire and forever ingrained its distinct flavor into my extensive memory bank of culinary experiences. Needless to say, we had both delighted in the essence of what is Café Alma. And then there was cake.

Pictures from Cafe Alma’s website CafeAlma.com