Suggestion for restaurant for dinner birthday celebration

[Normateach]

I'm looking for a nice restaurant (not too pricey) to celebrate our daughter's 40th. Birthday. Maybe some place that has a small room for about 10 people.

[JennaBean]

You need to provide some more details. Area, price point, food pref's etc. That will help folks make some suggestions.

[Normateach]

Somewhere midtown or downtown.
Around $50.00 per person including wine and tip. Maybe Italian - continental. Thanks.

[justxpete]

Campagnolo would be a great candidate. Not sure if they have a private room, however. Nearby Enoteca Social does, although I think I currently prefer the food at Campagnolo.

[midtowngirl]

The wine cellar at Enoteca Sociale is $60pp for a 5-course chef's menu (served family style I believe).

[jlunar]

Hmn. That's pretty tight. $50 incl tax, and tip (@15%) is $40 for food + drinks.

There is $1 per oz house wine at Gusto 101 and the do have a room in the cellar. Not sure what the pricing is on it and I believe it'll be dependant on day. Food is ehn, but the price should be right.

Enoteca's room has a 12 person cap and I wouldn't recommend that. 8-10 is much more comfortable. They did have a $50pp prix fixe, but this was not inclusive of wine, tax, and tip.

Campagnolo does not have a room, afaik, but the food is great.

[Normateach]

Thanks for the input. Very helpful. I guess $50.00 is a bit unrealistic. Do you know anything about Blu?

[jlunar]

Sorry, I haven't eaten at Blu. But someone might have! The search function should yield something if it's been mentioned.

One more thing to note - if you're 10 people, gratuity will likely be automatic, so that will need to be factored in.

A chinese dinner would be very easily accommodated at $50pp, but I'm not sure that's the way you want to go. I know Crown Princess has rooms, but I don't think many places DT have this option.

You could also maybe try Chantecler and get a bunch of the lettuce wrap meals ($21 for two) and supplement with a few more dishes (they can add up though). Their cocktails are good ($10) and their bottles of wine are pretty reasonable. I understand they're doing a family style set menu soon, so it might be worth calling and asking about that. No room.

If you do the bo ssam at Daisho, it's $240 for 8-10 people, though you'd want to supplement that with the sides. No room.

edit: I think if you allotted maybe $65pp, you'd expand your options a lot - that gets you almost $50 for drinks/food and includes a 20% tip (I'm just guessing what the auto grat might be).

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http://www.foodpr0n.com -- food. is. love.

[JennaBean]

Given you price point you might want to consider Sidecar on College. They do not have a private space but you could do dinner there with wine but not tax or tip for what you want to spend.

You could also try a place like Libretto on the Danforth where they take reservations but again they do not have a private room and it is fairly casual pizza and pasta place.

Globe Earth may work for you and they have a room that would fit 10 people but again it would be $50 pp for food and one glass of wine plus tax and tip.

I think you'd get much better food at Campagnolo or Enoteca Sociale but you're going to go well over your budget at both of those places.

[LemonLauren]

+ 1 for Sidecar.

[justxpete]

Jenna makes a lot of good points.

[JennaBean]

The event planner in me is always thinking about cost when it is not my money.

[LexiFirefly]

I had my SO's birthday dinner at libretto on danforth. We were seated in a semi private room downstairs. There was our table of 12 with 2 high tops and a few bar stools for other guests. We loved it.

[Normateach]

Thank you. I think you're right. I'll just have to forget the budget. It is a celebration.