SD318's Profile
First date spot in Union Square?
Why don't you try The House on East 17th, one block east of Union Square, I think. Very cute and cozy - great first date spot. They have a cool wine bar, plus food.
Here's a link to see the exterior, although the menu is not posted there: http://www.thehousenyc.com/
For menu items, check MenuPages. The reviews are mixed, so maybe it's better to have cocktails and small apps before indulging in a full meal.
Seeking a Fun, Fantastic Restaurant for 50th Birthday Celebration for 6 Folks
Thanks for your recommendations, all. I love Artisinal and never thought of dbBistro Moderne...will check them out as possibilities.
Short time in NYC coming up-recommendations, please
Try Becco in Midtown, when heading to the theatre. Very cute, cozy spot with great food. Besides their menu offerings, Becco offers an all you can eat three-pasta special every day that is to die for, as a nice change of pace. Becco's perfect for a late dinner. I did the same with friends a few years ago after a show and we loved it. Steaks are great there, too. And prices are pretty reasonable.
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Becco
355 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10010
Seeking a Fun, Fantastic Restaurant for 50th Birthday Celebration for 6 Folks
Looking for a great place for dinner for 6 to celebrate my brother-in-law's 50th birthday in mid January.
Some places we're considering:
- Nobu
- Ouest
- Bar Americain (probably not, since it's too noisy)
- Geisha
As you can see, we've narrowed it down to American, French or Japanese, but I'm not so up on the better Japanese restaurants that won't break the bank. We'd like to keep it to under $100pp all in at whatever spot we choose and a place where noise is kept to a minimum.
If anyone can offer up some good suggestions, with any cuisine in mind (sans Italian this time) where to hold this bash, it'd be most appreciated.
Thanks all - and have a Happy New Year!
NEED a restaurant that would be good for ENTIRE mom's side of family (23 people!)
Yes, but they have a lovely private area (inside garden) that may be accommodating for the group - not just the main room.
What happened to Gascogne?
Thanks for the explanation, PP. The merry-go-round of chefs sounds like a good reason for the inconsistencies.
NEED a restaurant that would be good for ENTIRE mom's side of family (23 people!)
Perhaps Palma, down on Cornelia Street in the Village. Italian's usually a crowd pleaser and they also have a private area or "farmhouse" for private parties. Another fun place good for parties is Crispo for Italian on 14th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Here's the website: www.palmanyc.com
What happened to Gascogne?
I've had the same experience as Thunderbug 2 1/2 years ago. I used to go to Gascogne after living in Chelsea for 12 years. Last night, I went there with my husband for dinner and it was a disaster.
First off, the girl seating us was a dope. We opted to sit in the garden, which we were told, had overhead heating. We settled in, only to find that it was still chilly after some time and the heating was poor. As we were the first diners to be seated in the garden, we asked for a table and the hostess hemmed and hawed over it, then pulled a chair away from our table to seat at another. The whole experience was simply unwelcoming and we opted to move inside.
When the appetizers arrived, the lobster bisque proved similar to dishwater -- thin, lacking salt (and overall taste) and not a speck of lobster in sight. It was about the worst lobster bisque we ever tasted. My husband told the waiter about it, who came back later and said the chef was aware that it wasn't good! Well, that's great, but how did he let that soup go out of the kitchen in the first place? The scallop dish was much better, but it too was undersalted.
For the main course, my husband ordered the filet mignon in foie gras sauce. Stringy and not cooked to medium rare specs, it might have been a good thing that the size of the meat was pretty skimpy, too. Compared with my quail dish, the filet was about half the size.
The waiter was also a bit of a cheeky monkey, but in the end, they did deduct the soup from the bill, so that was a plus.
We skipped dessert, lest we would find some other thing we didn't like...
All in all, we're not going back to Gascogne anytime soon. A better spot for French is Le Jardin on Cleveland Street, which also has a lovely garden, much better service and the food remains delish after a long existence.
But the question remains -- what happened to Gascogne?
