Few activities go together quite like dinner and a movie. That's what chef Eric Mason was thinking when he came up with the idea to give guests at Moda, the sleek Italian eatery in Manhattan's Flatotel, a little Fellini with their fettuccini. But Mason didn't realize how difficult it would be for his patrons to follow even the most enthralling Old World classics on the screen once his expertly prepared modern Italian cuisine came to life on their plates.

Tucked inside the Flatotel, Moda has become known for what Where New York referred to as Mason's "unique Italian cuisine," which they declared "firmly rooted in the rustic cooking of the homeland." The chef has earned rave reviews from critics like Profile magazine's Ruth Megitt, who wrote, "Chef Eric Mason has created the type of menu that makes your mouth water," and went on to describe her meal at Moda as a "truly wonderful dining experience." Mason's signature flair for imparting modern twists on classic Italian country cooking led Food & Mood magazine to call him one of the city's "young and promising chefs." Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld of New York magazine loved pasta dishes like "veal ragù over fettuccini and a fresh, chunky version of lobster Bolognese," while Gayot singled out Mason's unique hanger steak.