Dinner near City Center

[trishottawa]

Going to the ballet on Thursday and need dinner beforehand. Have a reservation at Brasserie 8 1/2 but looking for alternatives. Thanks!

[RGR]

Upscale:

Gordon Ramsay at the London and Maze, on 54th, b/t 6th & 7th - http://www.gordonramsay.com/usrestaurants/

The Modern and The Bar Room (in MoMA), on 53rd, b/t 5th & 6th - http://www.themodernnyc.com

Moderate:

La Bonne Soupe, on 55th, b/t 5th & 6th - http://www.labonnesoupe.com

[Jane A.]

Bistro: Rue 57 @ 57th & 6th.

[biondanonima]

Abboccato is directly across the street from the theatre (south side of 55th between 6th and 7th), for solid upscale Italian. I really like Molyvos as well (7th Ave. between 56th and 57th). If you're in the mood for Chinese, Joe's Shanghai is nearby, although I prefer the Flushing location. Alto isn't far away, although I've never been blown away by their food. Osteria del Circo is right across the street as well, but it looks a little touristy to me.

[coltrane]

Osteria Del Circo is not touristy. Their cuttlefish 'inzimino' on the pre/post theatre prefixe menu is like closing your eyes and being in Tuscany. I also like Town also and if you want great fish(pricey though) Milos is great.

[intrepid]

a good chowhoundish kind of place is TOPAZ for thai food, next to parker meridien hotel 56 and 6...good food, nice place, well priced

[rifbat]

The options are good, not great. Molyvos, Trattoria dell' Arte, Nobu 57, Beacon, Town. Depending on how casual you want to go: Sushiya, Joe's Shanghai. Excellent and very expensive sushi at Sugiyama or Nobu 57

[vvvindaloo]

Trish, do you mean the City Ballet at Lincoln Center or the historic theater near Carnegie Hall? In either case, I recommend you edit your title to reflect that, and you may get some good info.
Also in either case, doing a searching for these next-door neighborhoods on the Manhattan Board should be helpful- several new food options have come up in that area over the past couple of years.

[drumwine]

Insieme, Le Bernardin, ViceVersa, Molyvos

[trishottawa]

going to the Kirov Ballet at City Center which is at W55th and 6th or 7th

[vvvindaloo]

Unfortunately, that immediate area isn't the greatest. But if you are willing to walk a couple of blocks, I recommend Bar Americain (52nd betw. 6th & 7th) or Insieme (51st & 7th in the Michelangelo Hotel).