Lesbian-Friendly ???

[kedav86]

I'm searching high and low for a restaurant perfect for after my woman and I commit to one another. If you could recommend a good restaurant that would be GREAT!!! :). We are both very simple ladies, just want a nice quiet private cozy place, that is quaint, inexpensive, and not too far from where we are committing.

Criteria (Based On Priority)

1. Lesbian/Gay Friendly

2. Price Range for each individual meal $10-15

3. Cozy Seating (Booth preferably)

4. Not too far from Rockefeller Center

5. Chinese Food

[rose water]

Angelica's Kitchen felt like it was lesbian date central when I went there a few months ago. It's a vegetarian restaurant with an eclectic menu. It's got a warm feel, but is likely too crowded to meet the private, cozy criteria. (And it's down in the East Village, not near Rock Ctr and not Chinese). Good luck and congrats.

[Greg]

If you can let go of the midtown and Chinese requirements, you might want to try Deborah on Carmine Street. Definitely gay-friendly and inexpensive, but it's cozy with low lighting, and I'm pretty sure has a booth (or at least bench seating) in the back.

-----
Deborah
43 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014

[guttergourmet]

I'm probably missing some of the criteria on price and location but for some reason Annisa on Barrow Street jumped into my mind. Anita Lo is a famous Asian lesbian chef, the place is beautiful, owned by women and with a unique selection of wine made by women vintners or from vineyards owned by women.

[egit]

Yes, you're missing the one where they want it to be 10-15 per meal. :-) Annisa is very, very good. But it's expensive.

[MMRuth]

How is Bar Q in terms of price - it's owned by her as well, I think.....

[cimui]

entrees are in the $20s

[cimui]

Yay -- I like Annisa! But egit's right -- too expensive, unfortunately.

All these do raise the point that OP will be able to find MUCH better value if she gets away from the rock center / times square region. East and West Village are both great, generally young, hip, less bigoted, with lots of good-value, cute, cozy restaurants.

OP, can you take a subway down? Where will you be near Rock Center? The BDFV at Rock Center stops at W. 4th in the W. Village and several places in the E. Village. It's a straight shot down, an easy trip -- and food options are way, way better.

[greenfield]

Joe's Shanghai in Midtown (56th between 5th and 6th). Same soup dumplings as Chinatown, but a bit quieter and cozier. Good price range, and a friendly atmosphere.

[KTinNYC]

Unless things have changed Joe's in Midtown is bad. The food is not the same. The skins on the soup dumplinga are much thicker than the downtown locations.

[Renguin]

just went there last week for a work lunch by default (long story). things haven't changed, its still awful.

[Simon]

Not near RockCenter, but i'd recommend Prem-On Thai on Houston St, near Sullivan...

[jenhen2]

It doesn't have a booth, but Topaz Thai has a nice table for two in the window. It's inexpensive and very delicious. It's also walking distance from Rock Center.

[egit]

Yes. I second Topaz. It doesn't have a booths but it's a good inexpensive thai place right around the corner from Carnegie Hall, on 56th street. It's cozy and the food is good.

[RussianGirl]

I just went for a very similar meal with a friend of mine and his partner a couple of months back. We went to City Hall and then to a Chinese restaurant in Battery Park City (I think it is called Libery View or something like that). Yes, not near Rock Center, but it was good, reasonably priced Chinese food, and they were very friendly. We sat outside (the weather was beautiful), but I believe they have booths inside. And it's also a great spot for pictures.

[cavafan]

It's not Chinese, but La Bonne Soupe is a cozy, very reasonably priced French bistro on 55th Street. Fondue, salads, omellettes.

http://www.labonnesoupe.com/index.php

[cimui]

key keda, congrats! manhattan is gay friendly in that it's pretty rare that people will heckle or glare -- but people might still stare, unfortunately. the places in midtown shouldn't be too ignorant on this front.

if you aren't big eaters and you don't mind going to a drinking establishment, one of my favorites is the russian vodka room. appetizers are around 10-15, but they're pretty substantial. i usually just have an appetizer plate (say, of smoked trout, with rye bread and potatoes) and call it a meal.

a big part of why i recommend the RVR is the space. there are booths of sorts -- not entirely closed, but with comfy seats built into the wall. its' dark in the back room and i think very romantic in a slightly divey sort of way.

very close to the Rock.
not chinese food. i really can't think of a chinese restaurant i'd really endorse in this area.

if you're willing to venture a little further out, there are a couple of cute, reasonably priced spots in hell's kitchen (kashkaval, vynl)

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Russian Vodka Room
265 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

Kashkaval
856 9th Ave, New York, NY 10019

Vynl
754 9th Ave, New York, NY 10019

[BW212]

Don't do vynl. It's fun and pop culturey and certainly gay friendly- but not cozy or romantic in the slightest way.

Congratulations on your committment!

[cimui]

yeah, bw212 is right: vynl isn't romantic. i think this location does have booths, though. and they have some thai options.

[MMRuth]

Hi - first, congratulations! You have a pretty tough list of specifications, though I wouldn't worry too much about your first one in Manhattan. For good, but not over the top expensive Chinese relatively close by Rockefeller Center, you might want to look at Wu Liang Ye. I've not been to that location, but here's a link from which you can view the menu:

http://menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp?areaid=0&restaurantid=3653&neighborhoodid=0&cuisineid=0

Szechuan Gourmet isn't too far either, but I've also not tried it:

http://menupages.com/restaurantdetail...

Unfortunately, your budget is really tight for Manhattan - and it may be particularly difficult to find cozy seating at those places.

[RGR]

I haven't been to the 48th St. Wu Liang Ye in a very long time, but unless they've dramatically changed the decor and ambiance, it is very plain. I don't recall any booths though I could be wrong about that.