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Located in Manhattan’s fashionable Flatiron district, a neighborhood with abundant restaurant choices, lies an exquisite gem of a restaurant, Aldea, which loosely translates as “village” in Portuguese. Situated midway between Fifth and Sixth Avenues on Seventeenth Street, the restaurant has an elegant yet unassuming exterior that’s comprised of two stories of etched glass windows. Between the two stories, “ALDEA” is elegantly emblazoned in blue and white against a backlit concrete frame. Nothing flashy. Just simple, understated elegance. The name of the neighborhood -- inspired by the Flatiron building at 5th and 23rd -- is relatively new and dates back to the mid-1980s, when the area began seeing an increase in residential traffic and an influx of businesses, particularly public relations and architectural firms. A smattering of tablecloth restaurants followed in order to serve both business lunches and residential dinners. As a result, the neighborhood is now home to some of the most popular restaurants in the city, among which we expect Aldea to become a fast favorite. |
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Upon entering Aldea you’ll find yourself in a grand hall known as the Gallery, inside of which are images of water, air, wind, clouds, sky, earth, stone and wood -- all evocative of the Iberian countryside. Inside the Gallery your eyes will immediately rise up to take in the two-story restaurant, which boasts high ceilings, a beautiful multi-hued blue wall to the left and a light sand-colored wooden bar backed by a concrete wall -- together indicative of land, sea and sky. Directly in front of you, marking the second level, are etched glass screens that announce the mezzanine, toward the back of which is the private dining room. The effect is light, airy and awe-inspiring. |
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