One of the best shows in town is the dinner theater that happens nightly in the immaculately open kitchen at Aldea. The six seats at the Atelier-style chef's counter offer a full view into the quietly controlled, synchronized choreography of George Mendes's kitchen, where half a dozen tattooed cooks execute his menu with the intense focus of flavor samurai. Is that sublime Sea Urchin Toast with cauliflower cream, sea lettuce, and lime headed your way? Is Mendes stepping in to expertly attend to your New Bedford Diver Scallops? Is that your duck rice your smelling? (Time Out ranked that dish number three of the "10 Best Things to Eat in NYC.") more ›

It's been two years in the making, and now chef-owner George Mendes has finally opened Aldea, a kind of Mediterranean-modern restaurant near Union Square. Specifically, Mendes created Aldea's menu in tribute to his Portuguese heritage, and its menu features presunto, for example, a cured ham akin to Jamón Serrano. Another appetizer is a plate of sardines with raisins macerated in Madeira and served with bitter almond milk. Appetizers (see the full menu after the jump) are all priced at $9 and under, and no entrée costs more than $27, with most in the $19-$22 range. more ›

Yesterday, chef Grant Achatz of Alinea was slated to deliver a presentation on his eclectic serving implements (the antiplate, tripod, and squid) at the StarChefs ICC. First, however, he had a few words in response to “something that came up with a group of gentlemen,” referring to Anthony Bourdain and English chef Marco Pierre White’s controversial Sunday night panel. more ›