FUN Restaurant Recommendations? (Dining for 5 tonight!)

[iprobeattoomuch]

I have about 8 hours to find a fun and delicious restaurant for some family and my girlfriend! I've been to Aldea, which was pretty tasty and fun (we got to watch the cooking and the plating at the open kitchen counter), but the food was pretty skimpy and actually a bit bland -- although those sea urchin toasts were fantastic. But that is way too exotic for my step father!

So I'm not looking for anything too absurdly hip, just a good place with good food, ideally with some sort of additional attraction... maybe an open kitchen, maybe not.

Honestly, other than an open kitchen or a shabu shabu thing, I can't think of anything -- and my complete lack of imagination is why I love this site.

I'm only looking in Manhattan, and price isn't an issue, although if we could avoid someplace nonsensically expensive that would be nice!

THANKS!

-----
Aldea
31 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011

[Pan]

I obviously viewed this too late to help you. Where did you go, and how was it?

[iprobeattoomuch]

We ended up going to Hearth on 12th and 1st. The food was mostly delicious. We got a handful of first courses to share, a really delicious bottle of wine (Lefit something, or something close), and we each got an entree. The seafood stew with head on shrimp was pretty tasty and the shrimp were properly cooked, although slightly over salted. The zucchini ravioli was actually one large sheet of pasta, lasagne-style, and it was folded over the filling to make one big square pocket. It was absolutely delicious. The cod dish was perfectly cooked and very fishy -- really good crispy skin. The spaghetti with veal meatballs and the duck dish were good too. The charcuterie plate was probably the highlight of the night. It came with grilled bread that we were told had guanciale on it, but looked suspiciously like lardo (no complaints).

We didn't get a seat at the kitchen bar thing, as there were 5 of us and we did't all want to sit in one little row, but the meal was great. (Aldea's kitchen view was less chaotic and prettier.)

OH -- and our server (he was kind of tall, with short dark hair and a mustache) was probably the most animated and coolest server I've ever had. Just awesome.

...in case you were wondering.

[gutsofsteel]

I love Hearth. Glad you enjoyed it. Did you have desserts?

[iprobeattoomuch]

We tried the plum crisp, the chocolate cake, and the ice cream sampler. I thought the chocolate cake was actually little too chocolately... it came off as just kind of dark and chalky, but I only had one bite, so maybe not a fair chance. The ice creams were light and flavorful, and that plum crisp thing was delicious. I was stuffed by then but managed at least a bite of each. I will definitely be back.

[Pan]

I've liked Hearth very much the several times I've been there, though the last time I went, service was too slow for my parents to bear, even though the restaurant was extremely nice about it. I think this may be the first time I've seen the word "fishy" used as a compliment. Was the cod dish made with baccala?

[gutsofsteel]

The cod dish is made with Chatham cod, not dried salted cod (baccala).

[Pan]

Does it taste very fishy to you? It's been a while since I've been to the restaurant, and I don't remember whether I've had that particular fish dish or not.

[gutsofsteel]

Tastes like nicely prepared cod.

[Pan]

That's what I would have expected.

[princeofpork]

With so little time left, you really should look at Open Table to see whats available. I just checked and there is certainly a lot of choices out there.