Earlier this month I returned to Aldea for a second visit. The
first time I gave it a rave. I was pleased to find that the restaurant continued to impress during this visit. The duck rice that was so good the first time went over well again. And here are several new dishes I was able to try:
Knollcrest Farm Egg with bacalao, black olive and potato
A small, but delicious mixture served in the eggshell.
Baby Cuttlefish with caramelized lychee, and squid ink
Of these new dishes, this was the least successful. The cuttlefish was mediocre and the flavors mild.
Shrimp Alhinho with garlic, coriander, pimenton, and pressed jus
Beautifully cooked sweet and fresh shrimp coated in a sauce that makes you want to sop up the rest with bread.
Wild Bass with spaghetti squash, green mango, trout caviar and sorrel
Though I'd tried bass here earlier, this came with different sides. The preparation of the fish was just as delicate; the caviar gave the squash a strong fishiness that only true caviar lovers would tolerate.
Creekstone Farm's Hanger Steak with tamarind, red-wine shallot and summer bean salad
Braised goat several ways - goat belly, goat confit, liver, and cherries.
Though heavy for a summer dish, the goat was tender and flavorful. Nice to see something different on the menu.
Sonhos "Little Dreams" - donuts with three dipping sauces: spiced chocolate, smoked paprika apricot, hazelnut praline
If you're going to have donuts for dessert, this is the way you want them - airy and warm with three very different sauces to try.
Aldea offered us more petit fours than the first time; this time consisted of warm financiers, peanut butter fudge and the ever-present jellies. All in all, still a very solid meal.
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