Restaurant Alba

7 West King Street
Malvern, PA 19355

Phone: 610-644-4009

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The scent of a wood-burning grill is a powerful trigger. One whiff is all it takes to ignite the imagination with visions of marbled steaks and glistening fish laid over glowing embers, of raw vegetables mellowing to softness, of thick bread toasting for bruschetta. This kind of come-hither smoke, fed by mesquite, oak and hickory, perfumes the parking lot behind Restaurant Alba, ensuring that you’ll be famished by the time you reach the front door. Anticipation rises at the sight of sparks flying from the grill in the open kitchen, floating like pixie dust in the air around chef-owner Sean Weinberg and his team. Black shutters, white tablecloths and patterned pottery suggest that you’ve stepped inside a country inn in Tuscany, Provence or Mexico, although the pressed khakis and figure-skimming dresses on the clientele say Malvern. Dim and sometimes deafeningly loud, this rustic-chic BYOB is drawing western Main Liners of all ages with its remarkably tender octopus, served with herb-flecked chickpeas and succulent salmon, roasted slowly until it approaches medium-rare, contrasting beautifully with slightly tart grilled tomato vinaigrette.