Another Post-Engagement Recommendation Request
I actually have a similar request so I'll post on this thread. We'd have a group of 6 people in mid-February. We'll be in the midtown area and looking for a reservation about 9:00pm. I think we'd like something with a little more upbeat atmosphere to celebrate and obviously good food. We're actually staying in the Gramercy area so recommendations there would be good too. Per Se, Picholine, Boulud Cafe seem a bit too formal and expensive so I'm looking for something just a notch lower expense wise. Given that we're already into January, are there places that are definitely out for a group of that size because reservations would be impossible to get?
Also, how long does it typically take go from Gramercy to South Central Park by taxi between 6pm and 9pm on a Thursday night?
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Per Se
10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019
Picholine
35 West 64th St., New York, NY 10023
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We're heading out to NY today and I wanted to thank you for your recommendations. Our party has decided on Babbo for our celebratory dinner tonight. We're going to leave Friday open. Saturday we have reservations at Minetta Tavern. Sunday will be another open day. Spots I definitely would like to hit up for lunch and on open days are The Breslin, Momofuku Ssam, Keste/Motorino, Xian, Russ & Daughters, Terakawa, and Katz.
Thanks again for all your help!
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Russ & Daughters
179 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011Momofuku Ssam Bar
207 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003Minetta Tavern
113 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012The Breslin
20 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001›1 Reply -
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Thank you for all your recommendations. I was able to get reservations for 6 on the big day (Thursday) for Babbo, Maialino, and Craft. It'll be kind of different because two of us couples will be getting engaged...hopefully!. So, I have I speak to the other guy to make sure we agree with the spot, but thanks to you I think we've got three solid spots no matter which we choose.
We're from California and we'll be there Thursday thru Sunday. I also have reservations for Saturday for Minetta Tavern, Balthazar, and Le Bernardin. Our friends are heading out during the day Sunday so I got reservations for Babbo in case the other "proposer" didn't want to go there Thursday. So, I THINK our final lineup if I get it my way will be....
Thursday: Craft, but I'm still wavering with Maialino
Friday: Open for whatever and wherever
Saturday: Le Bernardin, but Minetta if our friends don't want to drop the coin.
Sunday: Babbo-----
Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011Minetta Tavern
113 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012Le Bernardin
155 W. 51st St., New York, NY 10019Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010›5 Replies-
re: daimyo
sgordon
Jan 17, 2011 06:16 AM
I would drop Balthazar - if you've got Minetta, no reason to keep it. As nice as Balthazar is, it's not really an "only in NYC" kind of place. While it is one of the best of its kind, its kind is fairly common in most major metropolitan areas.
For Friday, maybe do something a little more midrange and very NY - Momofuku Ssam Bar (or Noodle Bar) could be a fun one. If you hit them for lunch, it probably won't be too busy. Or make it a Chinatown night, if you don't have good Chinese where you're from - South China Garden or Oriental Garden are generally tops.
Any way you look at it, you've got a number of good meals ahead of you!
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South China Garden
22 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013Momofuku Ssam Bar
207 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003Oriental Garden
14 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013-
re: sgordon
You're thinking exactly what I was for Friday. I figured we'd play it by ear that day, but I had one of those Momo's in mind since they only do the fried chicken/ssam reservations. ForI was also thinking a pizza spot like Motorino or Keste if the group wanted to do that. Otherwise maybe Breslin or something else that won't take reservations.
Thanks for the chinese req's. I hadn't really heard of those. I was mainly thinking Grand Sichuan, Ny Noodletown, or...I can't think of it now. I'd have to go back and look at the other threads. I'm from SD and we have a solid sichuan spot so part of me wants to compare. The other part figures I can always get good sichuan, maybe I should try another style. Either way, chinese was also a possibility for Friday.
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The Breslin
20 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001Motorino
349 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003-
re: daimyo
sgordon
Jan 18, 2011 06:20 AM
I wouldn't do the fried chicken or Ssam - they're good, sure, but it'd probably be more fun just to order a bunch of different stuff to share. Motorino is a good back-up if they're mobbed, though lunch hours scoring a table is pretty easy at either Momo.
Grand Sichuan is great, for sure. NYN is, while good for its price, nothing terribly special. It's a "cheap eats" standby - if you were to do a place like that, go for something more esoteric, like Xi'an Famous Foods (Western Chinese mountain cuisine - really different and tasty) - Xian is best for lunch though, I think.
I figure, though, for a dinner, high(-ish) end Cantonese might be the way to go if you're only doing one Chinese meal here. It's great for groups, too, since it's very festive and all served family-style. There are many reviews / threads about Oriental Garden (probably the best in Manhattan, especially for fresh seafood) and South China Garden (a little cheaper, may be better if you're going for mostly land-fare) - both worth looking into. Lau, a regular commenter here who REALLY knows his Chinese cuisines, did a great write-up of SCG recently: http://bit.ly/eIfTSh
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South China Garden
22 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013Oriental Garden
14 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013Xi'an Famous Foods
81 St. Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003Xi'an Famous Foods
88 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002Motorino
349 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003-
re: sgordon
Thanks for the chinese req's. I had totally forgotten about Xian. That was where i was really looking to try!
Its crazy doing research for NY. There are just so many options and opinions you kind of get lost the more you read. You end up just drawing a line in the sand and hope you didn't forget anything. Thanks for reminding me on Xian.
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sgordon
Jan 7, 2011 10:01 AM
First, if you're staying at the W Union Square, you might as well take the subway to Central Park. The station is right there, it'll take all of ten minutes, maybe. A cab would take longer, more than likely, especially around 6:30 when there's still a bit of traffic.
Maialino is a great suggestion, though if you're going to be cabbing it most of the day, you can be pretty much anywhere from Midtown to the LES or Tribeca in 20 minutes.
If you want to stick to CPS, though, Marea isn't a bad choice - I didn't care for the secondi (entrees) - well, they were fine, just not at their prices - but the antipasti and pastas were great, I thought. You could easily make a meal from those.
Back down in Gramercy, Gramercy Tavern and Craft both lean a bit expensive, but for similar food at a lower price point Craftbar is great, and quite casual. Aldea also fits into that category, though I prefer CB.
But if you're cabbing it, you can certainly go further South. A number of good options exist if you spend about five to ten more minutes in the cab: Blue Hill, WD-50, Scarpetta, Babbo (if you can get a rez, that is), Prune, Hearth, Marc Forgione... etc, etc, etc...
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WD-50
50 Clinton Street, New York, NY 10002Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011Blue Hill
75 Washington Place, New York, NY 10011Hearth
403 East 12th Street, New York, NY 10009Craftbar
900 Broadway, New York, NY 10003Prune
54 E 1st St, New York, NY 10003Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014Marc Forgione
134 Reade Street, New York, NY 10013Marea
240 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019Aldea
31 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010›15 Replies-
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re: daimyo
sgordon
Jan 10, 2011 08:07 AM
First, it's three courses for $88 - app, entree, dessert - plus there'll be an amuse, and perhaps a pre-dessert as well.
I find the portions at Gramercy pretty decent. They're not strap-on-the-feedbag, but (unlike some high-end restos I could mention) I've never left wanting to grab a slice, either. For the quality of the ingredients and preparation, you get your money's worth.
If the price is a little high, though, take the cab down to Blue Hill or Marc Forgione - similar style of food (New American), still high end, lower price point. I probably like GT the best of the three, personally - but it depends. There are nights I'd pick Forgione over them. MF is more hearty, bold - and when that's what you're looking for, it's great. On the other hand, Mike Anthony (at GT) composes his plates a little more subtly, and has a very strong, intuitive sense of how flavors develop in the mouth - the way it takes some longer to register / develop than others, so that each bite of food can have multiple subtle sensations (not that you need to sit there lingering over each bite like it's some ephemeral jewel or anything...)
Kinda depends on what you want out of your meal. Just different experiences. But it ain't like you're gonna have a BAD meal at any of them.
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re: sgordon
Appreciate the insight. I think we'll definitely end up at one of your req's. We'll be a group of 6 and I'm between Maialino, Babbo, or Craft. I'll still have three more nights after our initial dinner so GT might be an option then.
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Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010-
re: daimyo
sgordon
Jan 11, 2011 07:13 AM
Craft can actually wind up being VERY expensive, moreso than GT even, though it depends what you order - the way the menu is designed, ordering individual ingredients, it can really add up quick.
If you're gonna do Babbo, make sure you call first thing in the morning a month before the date you want, otherwise you might be SOL. They fill up ridiculously quick.
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Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011 -
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re: kathryn
Well we're eating late so I was able to get the table at Babbo. I have to call Craft and Maialino Thursday. Between those three, are any subdued as far as atmosphere? The one thing I don't think we'd like is to have to contain our laughter and voices as we'll hopefully all be in a festive mood.
As a side note, I was going to call Babbo again to maybe get reservations a couple days later in case I go to one of the other choices I'm looking at.
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Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010-
re: daimyo
Craft and Maialino are both on OpenTable but I'm not sure they're taking reservations for those dates yet. I believe both take reservations only 28 days in advance. Confirm when you call.
I've never thought either were especially quiet but not really that loud either.
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Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010-
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re: gutsofsteel
sgordon
Jan 12, 2011 01:50 PM
I disagree, I say stick with Babbo. I find it far more interesting, and the atmosphere is boisterous and fun for a big group.
Craft I think would wind up being far more expensive. You feel like some braised short ribs? $36. And that's for JUST the ribs. No starch, no veg. Add some turnips and you're up to $50 for your entree already. And there's still no veg on your plate.
Also, I don't think of it as a real "celebration" restaurant. Ordering one ingredient at a time has its place, but I think having fully composed dishes is the better way to go.
And as to the music... one man's obnoxious is another's festive. Completely subjective. I (obviously) like it there.
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Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011
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ellenost
Jan 5, 2011 06:02 AM
I think Riverpark (the new Tom Colicchio restaurant) would work great for you. It's located on E. 29 St. between First Ave. and the FDR drive. The food is delicious and within your price range. It's a very relaxed atmosphere with friendly and attentive service.
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Riverpark
450 E 29th St, New York, NY 10016›3 Replies-
re: ellenost
Having been to Riverpark, I would not call its atmosphere "upbeat," as the OP is requesting. It's pretty subdued, actually. Also, if the OP is unfamiliar with Manhattan then there is a fair chance that the party will never get to Riverpark at all! It's in the most out-of-the-way location possible, on a block that maybe 0.01% of taxi drivers might have driven down, inside an office building, with no signage. Don't get me wrong, I liked the food there, but I wouldn't suggest it for this particular purpose.
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Riverpark
450 E 29th St, New York, NY 10016
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How much are you looking to spend before tax, tip, drinks, if Picholine and Cafe Boulud are too expensive? How much is "a notch lower"?
Where in Midtown do you need to be? East? West? More like the 50s? 40s?
I think Gramercy might work better for something more upbeat.
If you're looking for mid-February, a lot of restaurants haven't opened their books yet because they only book 30 days or 28 days in advance. So you are OK for the moment.
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Cafe Boulud
20 East 76th St., New York, NY 10021Picholine
35 West 64th St., New York, NY 10023›11 Replies-
re: kathryn
Well has far as price goes, tasting menu at Per Se, Le Bernadin or Eleven Madison are too pricey. I was thinking something along lines of Maialino or Aldea possibly. I was thinking starters typicalling $10-$20 with entrees $25-$40 range. As far as upbeat, I'm just thinking of a place where your not closed to whispering and not afraid to laugh at loud. I believe we'll be close to the extreme south end of Central Park. Forgive my location description as I'm not a local. If the traffics not too bad, I wouldn't mind heading south back toward the hotel in Gramercy if time permits.
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Per Se
10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019Aldea
31 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010-
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re: gutsofsteel
Ok. Arriving in JFK at 4pm. Will likely be taking a taxi or car service to the W at Union Square. How long will that take?
Once we get settled we were going to head up to the south end of Central Park to meet up with some friends. I was wanted to get there by 7:30. I was hoping we'd be able to leave by about 6:30 to get there in time.
We were going to be hanging out in that area till about 9pm then head out to dinner together. I was trying to estimate the time to make a reservation depending on how long it took to head back down south.-
re: daimyo
As far as taking a taxi into the city from JFK - if you have luggage to collect....you will be traveling into the city at a busy time. Could take an hour.
Not sure what you mean by the "south end of Central Park" where are you going? If you take a taxi from the W at 7pm you should be fine.
If you're going back to Maialino or that area and you take a taxi at 9 (what does "in that area" mean?) you will be back in that area by 9:30.
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Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010-
re: gutsofsteel
Thanks. And sorry to be vague. I'm really not sure where exactly we're going to be. But at least you've given me some estimates on travel time so I can start planning accordingly.
What do you think of Marea? Its located at the south end of Central Park.
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Marea
240 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019
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