something like Babbo
My father wants to take me to Babbo for my 35th birthday. They're "booked". Where do we go instead? Scarpetta? Locanda Verde? He's old school Italian suburban NJ guy. I'm progressive NYC pastry chef/ food lover. Where do we go to appeal to both of our tastes/senses?
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Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011
Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014
Locanda Verde
377 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013
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So, apparently, every place I chose (Babbo, Del Posto, Daniel, Le Bernadin, Locanda Verde) was too "foodie" for my dad. I've since suggested Maialino, Gramercy Tavern, Gotham Bar and Grill, Veritas, and Aureole. Not loving the choices, but think they're happy mediums between my choices and what appeals to dad and his picky wife. Help! Suggestions on these places, at least? None are ideal, but... think they might be the best places to fit both of our choices.
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Gramercy Tavern
42 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003Del Posto
85 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10011Veritas
43 East 20th St., New York, NY 10003Aureole
135 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036Gotham Bar and Grill
12 East 12th Street, New York, NY 10003Locanda Verde
377 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010›17 Replies-
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re: marisac9
dcole
Mar 30, 2011 07:21 AM
Check out Hearth in the East Village then, it might fit what you are looking for. Marco Canora has a great background.
Perilla and Po in the Village which are signigicantly cheaper and not as big of a name, but still very good. I believe Batali was once involved at Po.
'Cesca on the UWS. Tom Valenti does terrific Italian here, his other, more American restaurant Ouest is one of my favorites in all of NYC.
Did you show your dad The Tavern Menu at Gramercy Tavern? The Tavern room doesn't take walk ins, but if you call them, they can tell you the usual wait for the night of the week you are looking (early in the week there is little to none).And happy birthday!
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Perilla
9 Jones Street, New York, NY 10014Po
31 Cornelia St, New York, NY 10014Hearth
403 East 12th Street, New York, NY 10009Ouest
2315 Broadway, New York, NY 10024'Cesca
164 W 75th St, New York, NY 10024 -
re: marisac9
I ate at Veritas for my birthday last year and it was wonderful and may satisfy both of you, assuming you don't go Italian. The food is simple, nothing too exotic, but prepared beautifully and great quality. The room too is comfortable and unpretentious. And then there is the wine ... The whole experience was great.
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Veritas
43 East 20th St., New York, NY 10003 -
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re: TatyanaG
He supposedly wanted to take me anywhere I wanted to go, but after checking out menus got scared off for being too "foodie". I've made a reservation at Veritas and Scarpetta. Still thinking about Maialino, too. Thank you so much for the suggestions and advice!
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Veritas
43 East 20th St., New York, NY 10003Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010-
re: marisac9
I've been to both Veritas and Scarpetta and both were lovely. Veritas has an older, sophisticated, quiet vibe. Scarpetta very happening, loud, great food, not pretentious. Have a great birthday!
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Veritas
43 East 20th St., New York, NY 10003Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014-
re: TatyanaG
Yeah - think the final decision is for Veritas. It's been very difficult trying to please my NYC chef palate along with trying to accomodate my 68 year old suburban NJ dad and his picky wife. I think Veritas will be a great happy medium where we'll all be pleased. Thanks again for the assistance.
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Veritas
43 East 20th St., New York, NY 10003-
re: marisac9
Just for the record, with regard to the cuisine and ambiance, the "new" Veritas does not in any way resemble the Veritas which we patronized over the years with some regularity and which we loved.
The food now doesn't hold the proverbial candle to Scott Bryan's superb New American or to Gregory Pugin's exquisite contemporary French.* During our two dinners since they re-opened, we've had some good dishes but a couple that were not so great. One, in fact, was quite awful. Desserts, however, are excellent. Service is fine and, of course, there is still that extraordinary wine list.
As for the ambiance, the original decor was minimalist, sophisticated, and soothing. Now, the tablecloths are gone; the decor totally lacks sophistication and is a mishmashed design, i.e., unappealing to me; and the noise level is much higher due to the now hard-surfaced tables and the wine bottles stacked in floor-to-ceiling shelves.
Veritas photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157625752384120/
and here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157625989311271/
*Note: Bryan and Pugin are now cooking elsewhere: Bryan at Apiary and Pugin at the Las Vegas Le Cirque.
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re: TatyanaG
'Babbo is as "foodie" as it gets'....?...LMAO...
Babbo is as foodie as it gets if you're a tourist or, as Mario calls the people who go to his restaurants, "lemmings"...not begrudging the people from any place who happen to enjoy certain dishes there (the porcini at Babbo is delicious), but "as foodie as it gets", Babbo is not...it's a cold sucker-fleecing business...read "Heat" by Bill Buford and enjoy the stories of Batali yanking garbage out of the trash and telling kitchen staff to puree it into ravioli stuffing...
imo, it's a sham restaurant and, having been to all his NY places more than once, i'll never return to any of them...
Maialino, Scarpetta, and at least a dozen others will provide a more lovingly prepared dinner...
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Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010-
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re: Simon
ttoommyy
Mar 31, 2011 06:15 AM
I just want to throw in a few good words for the Batali empire. I love all the restaurants. And, I say this all the time, I am not a fan of the man himself by any means. I just think the food at the Batali/Bastianich restaurants is always top notch.
One man's meat...
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re: Simon
FYI, all I meant by "foodie" was that the menu has many unusual items that you would not find in a typical Italian-American restaurant. I didn't mean to suggest that Babbo is the best NY has to offer. In fact, I am yet to have a stellar meal at any of his restaurants.
P.S. I've been to Babbo and never wanted to go back: it didn't "blow my mind" in any way, it was too loud and service was plain obnoxious (A waiter expalined to someone in our party that "a branzino - is a flaky, mediterranean fish." It's become a standing joke for us to this day ;-)
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Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011
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Besides Babbo my fave italian spots are
Maialino, scarpetta, il mulino, marea, crispo, and ai Fiori is added to the list after a terrific dinner last night. Have only been to lv for breakfast which was also good.
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Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011Il Mulino
86 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012Crispo
240 W 14th St, New York, NY 10011Marea
240 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010Ai Fiori
400 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018 -
sgordon
Mar 29, 2011 08:15 AM
All good choices, and I'll add Falai just to confuse matters further - it would certainly appeal to the pastry chef / food lover. It's mostly Florentine in terms of flavor profile, not quite as "pan-Italian" as the others - but the pastas are as good as any you'll find in this city, and Chef Falai began as a pastry chef, so you can represent for your career path.
My last write-up of them: http://bit.ly/g1NURU
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Falai
68 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002 -
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squid kun
Mar 28, 2011 04:47 PM
Check out this sorta related (but slightly more downscale) recent thread ... http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/774358
