French pre fix-decently priced, for a birthday?

[porkified]

I know I've read something on here about a great pre fix meal at a French restaurant but cannot remember the name. Any decently priced French bistros for parties of 8? We are celebrating a friend's 30th and want it to be a nice adult celebration with good food and a decent price. Thank you!

[cricri7]

Benoit has a 35$ prix fixe between 5:30 and 6:30. I had dinner there at the beginning of January and liked it very much. I had their steak tartare. I had coffee after dinner and they bring out chocolates and home made caramels. They were incredible! I would go back just for those. The service was top notch. I was even treated to a complimentary glass of wine by the waiter. I was expecting stuffy but I got a great welcome from them.

[LeahBaila]

Nougatine at Jean Georges has a nightly $35 prix fixe (though you must arrive on the early side of the evening). I found the food to be excellent.

www.thelunchbelle.com

[Rmis32]

I second Nougatine. Food, service & value are all top notch.

[Gigi007]

I third Nougatine. And I also like La Sirene (BYOB).

[City Kid]

Why do you have to arrive early? I do not believe it is just an early dinner. It would be an excellent choice for an inexpensive, prix fixe French dinner...first rate food and service.

[douglas525]

L'Ecole, the restaurant for the French Culinary Institute, has a prix fixe in your price range, and the place is definitely big enough to accomodate a party of eight without bumping elbows.

[leaudemiel]

There's La Bonne Soupe...

[Spends Rent on Food]

Artisanal is great french and do parties of 8 price fix. In fact we had my birthday dinner there about three years ago. For a party of 10 they offered a 35, 45, or 55 price fix, and made up custom price fix menus with my name on them for the occasion.

Overall it was a great birthday meal- they did a fantastic job.

[kareny123]

Perhaps you were thinking of La Sirene in west Soho. They have an early bird prixe-fixe from 5-7pm, 3 courses for $27. However, it's cash only and quite a tiny restaurant... so I don't know if it's the best option for a birthday.

My birthday is also coming up and I'm looking for a similarly gently priced excellent french (or italian) spot. I was thinking of Bouley for lunch (since i checked out their relocated restaurant, and it's quite pretty) for $48 (4 courses).

[dawnfawn]

Bistro Les Amis on Spring Street is a good choice

[ChefJune]

I'll bet you are thinking of Gascogne on 8th Ave and 18th St. where the prix fixe is $29 if you are seated by 7:30. It is wonderful, and the food is the same high caliber it always is! Excellent, affordable wine list, too.

[ian9139]

Perry st is not a french bistro but French/contemporary American
They recently extended their $24 lunch, which is excellent, with a year round $35 dinner, but it seems that there are less choices available at dinner. I think that a party of 8 could sit at the largest round booths.

[kobetobiko]

The $35 dinner has only 2 or 3 options for each course, and is only available between 5:30 - 6:30pm or 10 - 11pm. No Substitute.

[kobetobiko]

Is this for dinner or lunch? Do you want a french bistro or if upscale French restaurant works? If you are willing to do lunch there are quite a few options out there.

[RGR]

Do you have any recollection of approximately how much that prix-fixe you read about cost?

If you're willing to eat early, two French restaurants with superb cuisine and lovely, adult ambiance are now offering a 3-course dinner prix-fixes. Fleur de Sel's is $45 and is served 5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. Allegretti's is $42 and is served 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. In both cases, I think the cost is a steal for food of such high caliber.

http://www.fleurdeselnyc.com
http://www.allegrettinyc.com

[porkified]

thanks RGR! I was thinking around the 35 dollar range but the Fleur de Sel Sounds about right. Perhaps they've raised their price?

[david sprague]

i think it's been at that price point for a bit. fleur is a splurge place for me, but it's really worth it. food is excellent and it's a super-warm, intimate setting.

[RGR]

No, this $45 dinner prix-fixe is brand new. It was announced in their recent e-mail newsletter which I received a few days ago. The cost for their regular dinner prix-fixe is $76.

Perhaps, you're confusing this with their year-round 3-course *lunch* prix-fixe, which is $29.