Aldea Will Close for Two Weeks for Renovations; Kappo Masa Is Adding a Sushi Counter

George Mendes has been spending lots of his time at his new, semi-casual Portuguese restaurant Lupulo — which garnered two stars from Ryan Sutton — but he hasn't forsaken his original restaurant, the fancier Aldea. He'll close it on August 23 for renovations and a menu change, notes Flo Fab. The kitchen will do away with the a la carte offerings and replace it with a four course prix fixe (which is suggested but not required at the moment) and keep its nine course tasting dinner. The restaurant should reopen on September 4 if all goes according to plan.

Uptown at Kappo Masa, Flo Fab notes that master sushi chef Masayoshi Takayama's and art dealer Larry Gagosian, are adding a 12-seat sushi bar with a traditional omakase offering at the end of the month. Despite a disastrous review from the Times, the restaurant seems to have built a following among those with platinum cards.