Saturday Night Dinner (2/13/10)
My fiancé and I have decided to skip the Mardi Gras festivities and celebrate our recent engagement in New York. We are taking a last minute trip to NY this upcoming weekend, arriving on Fri., 2/12 and leaving on Mon., 2/15. We always try to scout out a great restaurant to have a special meal and would like to do this on Saturday evening. Of course, the problem is where to go and can we even get a reservation? We will be staying at the Palace hotel and are looking for something in the midtown area. Great food and service are top factors on the priority list. Our likes include great appetizers, steaks, and fresh lobster/fish/seafood. Fiancé is not a huge fan of Asian food. So, that’s off the list. Also, I know the next evening is Valentine’s Day, and my understanding is that many places are serving pri fix menus with inflated prices (even on Sat. evening). While we don’t mind paying for a good meal, we would prefer not to drop serious money on a substandard meal/menu just because it is so close to V day. Budget around $300 if needed. Any recommendations for this difficult situation? Many, many thanks in advance!!
By bayousaint
on Feb 7, 2010 11:58 AM
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Yikes! A quick glance for 2 people on OpenTable.com for this Saturday reveals that some places do still have availability, assuming that you are willing to dine a little bit earlier or later than the dinner rush. Keens (steakhouse), The Modern - Bar Room (Alsatian small plates), Oceana (seafood) might be good choices. I also see openings at Aquavit (Scandinavian) and La Fonda del Sol (Spanish). Any of those strike your fancy?
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degustation.
public.
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OP states he is looking for something in midtown.
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oops.missed that.
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Seasonal.
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Go for dinner at Capitale Grill. Meets all the above requirements, wont have a V-Day menus and dont forget the Lobster Mac and Cheese.
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i wouldnt really reccomend cap grill..chain, nothing special
highly reccomend la fonda del sol
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I agree that there doesn't seem much point to going to a chain steakhouse when there are one-of-a-kind steakhouses like our favorite, Keens. It's been in its 36th St. location since 1885, and so in addition to superb steaks, chops, etc., and excellent service, there is the unmatchable Old NY ambiance.
Keens Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157623279345424/
I also agree with your suggestion of La Fonda del Sol. Delicious food, very good service, comfortable seating, and beautiful decor.
La Fonda del Sol Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391...
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Wow! Thanks everyone for the useful comments and recs! I made reservations at Keens for Saturday night. I certainly didn't mind eating a little later, especially since this is so last minute. However, I called the restaurant and they seemed to easily accomodate my first preference (which wasn't listed on opentable :).
Now, to find something for the dreaded V day night. Yes, I have read the numerous warnings, but we have to eat somewhere. I'm thinking seafood (cooked, not raw) or Italian. Somewhere preferably with a regular menu for the evening (as I've read those Valentines Day, pre fix warnings also : ). I welcome any other suggestions for this conquest.
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Peasant is a great Italian restaurant and I don't think they have any sort of set v-day menu, but you might want to call to check.
I would also recommend doing a big valentines day brunch and having a lighter dinner. A lot of restaurants do a brunch that's just as good as dinner with less of the valentines day cheesiness.
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Pampano serves modern Mexican cuisine with an emphasis on fish and seafood. The food is delicious, service is excellent, and the space is very attractive. A quick check of OpenTable shows lots of availability.
Acc. to the website, they are offering a Valentine's Day 6-course tasting menu for $70pp (drinks, tax & tip additional).
Menu for Valentine's Day weekend: http://www.modernmexican.com/pampano/documents/pampano_valentine_2010_menu.pdf
However, they might also be offering their regular menu. You would have to call the restaurant directly to find out.
Photos of our dinner at Pampano in September, including views of the dining room, can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157622437790792/
http://www.modernmexican.com/pampano
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