Babbo, Esca or Marea?

[Quimbombo]

Taking overseas guests out for dinner next month.

Woman guest likes Italian.

Company pays so price is no object. Emphasis on great cocktails, excellent food and wine list.

Which one would you choose?

Babbo

Esca

Marea

Other suggestions on similar restaurants like aforementioned most welcome and appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[fm1963]

Seconding Convivio. Great pastas, and reservations are usually easier than Babbo, Marea, etc.

La Grenouille is wonderful but if your overseas guests are European, they may not find it all that exciting since the menu is standard classic French.

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Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011

La Grenouille
3 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10022

Convivio
45 Tudor City Place, New York, NY 10017

Marea
240 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019

[Quimbombo]

They're from Spain, so I'm not too worried about the French food thing.

Plus LeGrenouille seems to have a nice room.

[mrud]

saw you picked grenouille which is not quite italian :)
have you tried lincoln, the new benno restaurant?

[Quimbombo]

Not Italian.

Had no choice.

I spent over 45 minutes looking for Italian with a reservation for 5.

I thought the economy stank, yet these places are fully booked.

I don't get it. <grin>

[edwardspk]

Alto is a great suggestion. I actually like all 3 of your options, but as noted, you will have to order carefully at Marea to really enjoy it (first meal I had was so-so. I did my research on recommended dishes before going the next time, ordered those, and had a fantastic meal). Esca is great, but will only appeal to seafood lovers. Any non-seafood eaters are limited to one chicken dish (which is only ordered about once every 2 weeks, according to our server, and is not very good). Love the pasta tasting menu at Babbo.

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Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011

Esca
402 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036

Marea
240 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019

[rrems]

Of the three, I would pick Babbo, but I like Convivio better than all of them. Since price is not an object, you might also like Alto.

[daffyduck]

i like babbo better than marea. if u go to marea, i would order carefully i had a few dishes that were very mediocre. ive never been to esca. but u cant go wrong with babbo's pasta tasting.

[Quimbombo]

Thanks all.

Update.

Restaurants where booked for the time required, except Esca but decided we did not want to be near Times Square. Tried others and all were booked as well.

We will be dining at Le Grenouille, where I've never been. <comments?>

Thank you all again.