Hey all,
I'm looking for a restaurant idea for anniversary/valentine's day. Would like to keep it to about $100 (little more is probably fine) with tax/tip for 2 entrees, 2 glasses of wine (or a bottle), and maybe an appetizer to share. Was thinking maybe the tavern room at Gramercy Tavern. She doesn't eat fish and I don't eat meat. Doesn't matter what area of the city.

thanks!

I'd prefer not to go to a restaurant knowing that I need to order something special. Any other ideas?

I think Spanish food might be a no-go. All three of those have menus that are almost-entirely meat based which will be difficult (especially for a small plates restaurant like Casa Mono). Mexican food is likely fine but spanish food may be too difficult.

I don't know if there are any places that would work but we tend to like Mediterranean and "American" food.

Raymi may be too exotic for my girlfriend and Yerba I don't think will work. Perilla doesn't seem bad but the menu looks "run of the mill" in that most of the dishes aren't something that I feel like I couldn't find elsewhere.

Public would work but I actually cannot eat there (I can't eat some of the stuff in the seafood dishes).

Super-loud is a problem in that I want to be able to talk while we're at dinner and not struggle to have a conversation.

Some music and what-not isn't a bad thing (we really liked Stanton Social and Beauty and Essex although B&E was a little on the loud side)

As recent as this past August. Does anyone know first-hand how loud it is on a Friday night?

Empellon might work but I was just reading about it online and it seems that people are saying it's really loud.

Has anyone been that can talk as to how loud it would be on a Friday night?

Any other ideas?

I don't think that option will work. In terms of the vegetarian options and such, I am the one who eats fish but not meat so I care more about there being good meat options for her than fish for me. I can find something anywhere but want to make sure it's a great dinner for her so maybe don't worry about the need for seafood/vegetarian options at all.

We like Greek food but really like everything. An "entree" restaurant and a "small plates restaurant" are both fine by us.

If this helps other restaurants we've gone to and liked/disliked are:

Liked:
Dos Caminos (it was okay)
Otto
Co.
Uva
Beauty and Essex
Stanton Social
Kefi
Balaboosta
Zengo
Water Club

Disliked:
Recipe (in UWS)

There are probably others but the above comes to mind.

I want the dinner to be fun or special or both. Something trendy like B&E or Stanton Social would be good, as would something a little nicer.

Any ideas you all have would be much obliged!!

Hey all,
My girlfriend is turning 25 at the end of October and I want to take her out to a nice dinner on a Friday night (I'm coming up on a one month mark so most restaurants are in play). I want a restaurant that's going to be good but also fun and "different" (there are many restaurants who have menus that are not special in anyway but rather contain dishes that you could find anywhere). We both loved Beauty & Essex and the Stanton Social as well as Balaboosta, Kefi, and other restaurants.
One of us doesn't eat meat and the other doesn't eat fish so some of both types or vegetarian stuff is necessary (as long as there is a vegetarian option or a fish option, it's fine).
We normally order 2 entrees and maybe an appetizer between the two of us. I'd also want 2 glasses or a bottle of wine depending on price. I would like to keep it under 120 with tax and tip but would go over if it's worth it.
Any ideas would be great!!

THANK YOU!!!

Does anyone else have any suggestions? Anywhere in the city is fine although I prefer somewhere downtown.

Thank you!

That looks pretty good.

Anyone else have ideas?

That could work. I actually just tried calling Babbo figuring that I would be willing to stretch my budget a little bit and go there but they are already all booked up!

Does anyone have any other ideas? I would be willing to stretch my budget a little for the right place...

On a Saturday Night in a few weeks I have a Black Tie Optional Event at Pier Sixty that starts at 10pm. I'm taking a girl as my date and I thought it would make sense to go to dinner right beforehand at around 8 or 8:30 but cannot think of where to go. I am kosher but will eat certain types of fish (salmon, tuna, halibut, tilapia) and non-meat dishes out and she doesn't like seafood (a bit of an odd combination I know).

I want a restaurant a little on the nicer side because we will be all dressed up. Normally when we go out we get two main courses, a bottle of wine, and split a dessert and potentially split an appetizer. In the past I've attempted to keep the total bill (including tax and tip) to around $100 ($110 is fine). I don't have an objection to using a website like Savored.

Location in the city isn't particularly important (we'll be coming from the UWS so maybe something somewhere on the west side of the city is better but we will take a cab to whatever restaurant and then to Pier Sixty anyway).

Thank you!

Tangled vine seems to be more of a wine bar and less of a restaurant. I want somewhere where we can have dinner as opposed to smaller plates/wine bar food.

Recipe is intriguing though. Does anyone know what the pricing/quality is like of their Wine List?

Uva could work for UES but I'd prefer Upper west I think.

any other ideas?

Hello! I need a restaurant to take a date this Saturday night. When we've gone out before we normally skip appetizers and just do entrees, a bottle of wine and maybe a dessert. I'd be willing to spend about $100 with tip (little more is fine but not much). One of us doesn't eat fish and the other doesn't eat meat but will eat fish (somewhat of an odd pair!).

For location it can be anywhere on the UWS or UES (although UWS is preferable).

I found Kefi online but I saw reviews both on this site and others where people said it's not romantic because the lights and such are so bright and the tables are cramped. Has anyone gone to Kefi and can give me their view on this?

Does anyone have any other ideas?

THANK YOU!!!

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Kefi
505 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024

Does anyone have any other starch ideas? I want to impress the person and something that'll look nice and I can plate. I decided to do Green Beans Almondine and I'm going to do a pan-roasted boneless chicken breast with pesto but I am undecided as to the starch.

Does anyone have any ideas?

I originally wanted to do risotto but I don't want to have to be standing in the kitchen stirring for 20-30 minutes. What can I make that would place nicely and taste good with green beans and pesto chicken.

Thanks!

I forgot to mention that the person is lactose intolerant so I want to avoid cheese. I have made risotto without cheese before so that would still be okay but the polenta probably would not work for that reason.

I really like the idea of the a green beans almondine.

I have already planned dessert (apple crisp with non-dairy vanilla ice-cream and chocolate covered strawberries).

In lieu of an appetizer I was thinking of putting out the type of nuts and such that she really likes and then just doing a main course and dessert since normally when we go out neither of us orders an appetizer anyway.

Any other ideas for a starch?

Hello all,
I'm making dinner for myself and a friend and I'm having trouble coming up with what to make. The person really likes pesto and chicken so I'm going to make homemade pesto and put it on some chicken but I cannot come up with side dishes to make with it. I'd like to make a vegetable side and a starch side.

I was thinking of some kind of a risotto or something but I don't know what type of risotto to make. Or a specific idea then for a vegetable. Does anyone have any ideas? I want to avoid broccoli and cauliflower.

I am a pretty experienced cook (used to work in a restaurant) so level of difficulty isn't an issue.

Thank you!

Apiary looks good but it seems to serve wine...is it also BYOB?

Gazala doesn't seem quite date-y enough for my tastes.

Does anyone know of any nice date restaurants that are BYOB? Preferably with entrees in the $20-$25 dollar range per person. Any type of food is fine...

Thank you!

Okay. As a reference, at Le Bateau Ivre I spent a little less than $100 before tip for 2 entrees and a pretty nice bottle of wine. The ambiance there is nice, we also got a corner table so it was pretty quiet.

Is that with or without wine? does the $80-$100 include tip? I also assume that's for both of you...

Try Le Bateau Ivre in Midtown East. It's a french wine bar that's pretty good. I've gone there on a date before and it's pretty good.

As a general note: how much are you looking to spend?

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Le Bateau Ivre
230 E 51st St, New York, NY 10022

It might come in a little below your budget but I really like The Place. It's got great food, it's cozy and the people there are great.

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The Place
310 W 4th St, New York, NY 10014

I went out on my date last night. We wound up going to Le Bateau Ivre. The food was pretty good (I had the arctic char) and they had a really big wine selection which was a plus. I would definitely go back. The only negative was that it was a little loud at times. Thanks for your suggestions everyone!

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Le Bateau Ivre
230 E 51st St, New York, NY 10022

I am looking for orange wine in the vein of what thegforceny mentioned as opposed to wine made from oranges but thank you anyway sunshine842!

I also posted this in the Manhattan forum but I think it applies here too. Does anyone know of a wine store in manhattan where they sell it? I would prefer midtown, gramercy, chelsea or the UWS but anywhere is fine.

Thank you!

I prefer a wine store that sells it but if anyone knows of restaurants/wine bars in NYC that have it that would work also. Thank you!

Orange wine does exists (http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/ora... just found out about it recently. Does anyone know of a wine store in manhattan where they sell it? I would prefer midtown, gramercy, chelsea or the UWS but anywhere is fine.

Thank you!

Sorry for bringing this to the top but I would really like anyone's knowledge about the places...Thanks!

I'm trying to find somewhere to take a date and I came across these three places. Has anyone ever been and if so, do you recommend it? We are going to want to order a bottle of wine if that is helpful.

Thank you!!

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Teodora
141 E 57th St, New York, NY 10022

La Gioconda
226 E 53rd St, New York, NY 10022

G-50 Bar & Grill
208 E 50th St, New York, NY 10022