Tucked away at the corner of Scottsdale Road and Indian Bend you will find Alma. Just kidding, you still won't find it. In the Scottsdale Seville shopping center there is a small courtyard you get to from the corner, or from either side (hard to explain). Once in there you will be greeted by Alma, an excellent patio and an elegant dining room. Alma has a menu of Southwestern delights that will start you impressed and leave you stuffed.

Ambience:  Date night? Family dinner? Business meeting? They can all take place under one roof in what I would describe as funky, yet rustic, clean yet chaotic and elegant, but not over-dressed. That probably helps not at all, you're welcome.

Quality: Expect strong flavors that you would expect from Southwest cuisine. Smoky, tangy, peppery with just the right amounts of mouth texture and no overpowering flavors. The Lobster Quesadilla was rich and meaty with a layer of melted cheese and crisp charred corn. Their Watermelon Salad is absolutely beautiful. Leslie had a tamale which was described as a tapas portion, but was almost too big to finish. The Queso Flamedo con Chorizo was cheesy goodness with big bites of spicy sausage. For dessert the options were difficult to chose, but both the Apple Enchilada and the Chili Chocolate Cake were options we would soon order again.

Service: We were greeted and seated immediately on arrival (we did have a reservation) and our waiter was very attentive. We were in no hurry, but sometimes I like to get the food order in a bit sooner. We did water service, then drink order, then appetizer, then entree. Sometimes you just want to sit down and say "I'll take a margarita and will place my entree order when that arrives." No real complaints about the service overall.

Value: Our bill was a bit steep at the end of the evening, but we had cocktails, appetizers, entrees, and desserts which after tax and tip, came to roughly $75 per person. Not a single person left with a spare ounce of space for another bite, and everyone in our group was thoroughly happy with their meal.

If you are looking for a great restaurant to take a date or impress your friends visiting town, especially if every place you check is all booked up, then remind yourself to check out Alma. It is a restaurant that you can easily forget about because of its unique location, but should not be overlooked. I would say it is one of the hidden gems located in McCormick Ranch.