Help! Last-minute help for birthday dinner & drinks downtown-ish... tomorrow!
Birthday dinner recommendations requested for tomorrow night...
Somewhere fun, new-ish or under-the-radar would be a bonus, good food (not Mexican, Indian, or Italian preferably)... and not too expensive.
South of 14th St would be ideal, though a little further north would work.
(Any drinks recs nearby would be fantastic as well!)
Thanks!
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re: saregamany
I've definitely been in your shoes. The last minute birthday reservation panic...triangulating btw chowhound, menupages, citysearch, whathaveyou....phew.
Some thoughts on your list:
Ivo and Lulu. Good food, charming owner/chef...but unless you can reserve the whole place - and I'm not sure he does that - you won't be able to accomodate that many people (ie. 4 people will have to wait, 2 people at peak dining times will have a wait too). The place is SMALL and usually first come, first serve.
Zerza. This would be my pic in your choice list. Pros: atmospheric, good-sized space upstairs for a bigger group, and the food's definitely decent (good tagines, etc). Cons: Well, it's also not chi-chi trendy, if you're looking for that. My take is that it's a solid choice for a bigger group that wants to generate its own fun.
Extra Virgin: good food, but the bill will run you more than the last 2 choices. It can also be a little cramped and loud on busy nights.
Euzkadi: heard it's gone downhill.
Havana Alma de Cuba: My second choice on your list. It's got that small West Village vibe going on that some find charming. The food is pleasant (skip the fried fish though.) Pro over Zerza: it might be a little busier so it'll feel slightly more festive. Con: it's expensive for Cuban food but has average price ($15-20/dish) for Manhattan otherwise.
And if you hear anything about Lips, do let me know! Always wanted to see if that was a viable option...
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