Mom & Daughter. Need reassurance about my dinner choices.

[todc1996]

will be in your fabulous city may 6-9.
i've already scored a reservation at degustation for the friday night.
help me with my saturday & sunday nights please.......
i was thinking:
perilla?
pampano?
public?

we definitely want excellent reasonably priced food but still want a sort of fun, happening atmosphere.
we'll do dim sum for sure (at least once). say what you will, but i love dim sum go go. i don't understand the love in you guys have with jing fong, to say i found it mediocre is being generous....
thinking of market table for 1 brunch
russ & daughter of course........
and probably do pizza & street food the rest.

i've been to new york many a times (and love eating my way through the city)...never alone with mom though!....we pretty much eat anything but aren't interested in italian or indian (get tons of it at home in toronto)
would love your input.
thanks!

[maxine]

I love perilla. it is one of my favorite places in the city. The carpacio is amazing. I was surprised about how good Public was too. But it is a bigger, louder place. It is more of a scene if that is what you are looking for, (though I have had some celebrity spotting at Pirella, and not just the owner)

[todc1996]

would perilla be good/fun for a saturday night, or would pampano be more happening?

[rrems]

Perilla is always quite busy and lively, sometimes a bit noisy depending on where you are seated.

[rrems]

I haven't been to Pampano or Public, but can confirm based on dinner 2 weeks ago that Perilla is still turning out winning dishes. If you go, be sure to have the soft shell crab and the pork belly for appetizers, and if they have the red velvet cake, do have that too.

[Lucia]

for street food/snacks, check out this thread: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/514186
I've only been to Perilla out of your dinner choices. I haven't been since soon after it opened, so I don't think I can pass judgment on the quality of the food these days. You might want to check out Artichoke for pizza: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/503310

[RGR]

Have not been to Perilla or Public, but we have had excellent experiences at Pampano.

I presume you know that Russ & Daughters is take-out only?

[trishottawa]

Perilla was great, as was Balthazar and Alta. Have fun!