446827 Tue Oct 02 07:45:31 -0700 2007 11 15 Pennsylvania 0 2995718 So, I'm a recent transplant to Philadelphia and my parents are coming to visit from New York City and want to go out for a nice dinner this Saturday night. Price isn't really an issue (no Le Bec Fin type prices), but entrees can be $30 a person if need be. I think my parents would like the place to feel like they are taking their poor student daughter to a nice restaurant. They eat fairly healthfully and don't eat any red meat, but do eat chicken and fish. I'd rather the place not be a BYO if possible, but this is certainly okay. Places that have come up (and I have no idea if a reservation would even be possible at this late date): Bliss, Farmacia, Estia, Horizons and Ansill. I think they will eat almost any cuisine except maybe Mexican (they don't eat much cheese). I took them to the uptown Dmitri's last time they came to visit. They liked it, but thought it was a little loud. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! Tue Oct 02 07:45:31 -0700 2007 86502 dci 1 2995764 XIX Tue Oct 02 07:56:21 -0700 2007 2995718 14158 JanR 1 2995765 La Veranda has always been a "dinner with the parents" place for me. Nice view (it's on the water), not too loud, good pasta and grilled fish/steaks/veggies. Tue Oct 02 07:56:24 -0700 2007 2995718 87282 lawgirl3278 1 2996042 Estia and Horizons are both good choices, especially Estia if they liked Dimitri's last time out. Ansill is fantastic too, one of my favorite restaurants in the city, but probably not the best choice for people who don't eat red meat. Farmacia is to be avoided, Bliss is OK but nothing fantastic. I would recommend Southwark, though, at 4th and Bainbridge. I think that because it's been around for a while, it doesn't get as much notice these days as it used to, but I've been there a couple times in the past few months and it's been consistently fantastic, and it gets better each time I go. The service is excellent, the atmosphere is welcoming, and they have one of the best bars in the city if you like a well-mixed cocktail. Or a beer, for that matter. Any place that has Resurrection on draft obviously cares about their beers. If the weather's nice, which it's supposed to be on Saturday, they have enclosed patio seating out back. Tue Oct 02 09:01:28 -0700 2007 2995718 29811 Buckethead 2 2996411 Estia is really good (especially the fresh fish and the grilled octopus) but can get very pricey (ask me about my $51 fish...). I'd steer clear of Farmicia....it's underseasoned food that's not so good. I have heard good things about Horizons but have never been there. Tue Oct 02 10:13:32 -0700 2007 2996042 12572 bluehensfan 1 2996213 If noise is a concern, I'd scratch Estia off your list. It can get noisy in there, when the restaurant is full. Ansill is very good, but many of the very best items on the menu are red-meat and offal centric. They have some nice vegetarian and seafood selections (the risotto is quite nice as are the spaetzle and squid), but really the true glories of Ansill's menu are the venison tartare, bonemarrow crostini, braised pork belly, and the lamb's tongue. I'd suggest Le Bar Lyonnais for a non-BYOB and Caffe Casta Diva for a BYOB. There are plenty of chicken and fish dishes at both Le Bar Lyonnais and Caffe Casta Diva. At Le Bar, you'll get Le Bec-Fin quality food at decidedly non-LBF prices. Main courses at Le Bar run around mid-20's while appetizers are in the $10 to $15 range. You can also order a 5-course tasting menu (squash themed) at Le Bar; this menu is a sub-set of the 10-course tasting menu served in the main dining room (and also priced considerably lower). I've always thought that Le Bar is the best deal in town. Tue Oct 02 09:34:59 -0700 2007 2995718 109393 Mr_Pickles 2 2996390 If you can request a table on the mezzanine at Estia, you should have no problem at all with noise. I like your list. I would highly suggest Estia if you can get in. It sounds perfect for your folks. (The earlier, the less noisy) Tue Oct 02 10:08:02 -0700 2007 2996213 95060 idia 1 2997527 Thanks for all the responses! My mom vetoed Estia - she didn't like a similar place she went to in NYC. I was able to get a reservation at Matyson for early in the evening and decided to go for that. I know it is a BYO and I think that will be fine - the red vs. white drinkers will just have to compromise. I think we'll try Cafe Casta Diva next time they visit and do Horizons on our own when we have some extra $$. Any reccomendations for a place to get a glass of wine after our early dinner? Or should we just get gelato at capogiro. Thanks for all the help so far! Tue Oct 02 14:20:57 -0700 2007 2995718 86502 dci 2 2997536 You should get dessert at Matyson, they make great ones. Of course, there's no law that says you can't have a post-dessert dessert.. Tue Oct 02 14:23:05 -0700 2007 2997527 29811 Buckethead 3 2997561 Or post-dessert chocolate drinks at the Naked Chocolate Cafe. Tue Oct 02 14:28:06 -0700 2007 2997536 12572 bluehensfan 1 3012642 Just a quick report from the evening. Matyson was great! The food was amazing and the service and setting were really nice (although my parents thought the crowd was a little old - I think maybe they wanted a hipper place!). There was a wide variety of dishes that they could eat - although almost all of the appetizers had some sort of red meat so we only had entrees - the potato crusted halibut was particularly memorable. Afterward we went to the Continental Midtown for a drink on the roof, which was nice - it was a beautiful night and then hit up Naked Choclate Cafe which was delicious. All in all a great night and my parents are already planning their next trip to eat some more great food! Incidentally, I wound up at Ansill on Friday night. The food was great - but extremely heavy on red meat - my tablemates had steak tartare, pigs trotters, lamb's tongue, short ribs, and sweetbreads. The bronzino I had was perfectly prepared. Service was a little spotty, but regardless, we really enjoyed ourselves - especially the prosecco special they have during happy hour! Thanks for all the guidance! Sun Oct 07 13:52:16 -0700 2007 2995718 86502 dci 1 3013095 Next time take them to The Saloon, in South Philly. This is outstanding Italian food served by a courteous and very knowledgeable staff in a very nice, quiet, refined environment. I have a link attached for their next trip. http://www.saloonrestaurant.net/ Susanna Foo is always a good bet for Chinese fine dining. The service is white glove, that is to say they all wear tux-like uniforms. Very charming and quite delicious. The chef/owner is a world famous chef. They may enjoy the delicate preparation here. http://www.susannafoo.com/chinese-cuisine-home.html Sun Oct 07 17:44:21 -0700 2007 2995718 132943 hhshames