Tasting menu for birthday dinner

Thanks so much for the suggestions. Piccolo sounds great. I loved that place when it was 5 Dudley and have been meaning to try Piccolo. I've always wanted to try Orris too so I'll look into that as well - maybe if it ends up being a larger group. Both sound amazing. And so does The Bazaar. I might have to do a couple of dinners!

yummytrip in Los Angeles Area

Tasting menu for birthday dinner

Hi - it is my 35th birthday coming up and I want to have a great dining experience that includes a tasting menu with wine pairing. I thought about Melisse but a fun and lively atmosphere is important to me and it sounds like it might be a bit too formal after reading other posts. Providence is sounding great but it's a long trek for us. Any other recommendations/thoughts? I live in Mar Vista near Marina del Rey.
Thanks!

yummytrip in Los Angeles Area

Delfina, 54 Mint, or Bar Bambino

Thanks again for the responses. We had decided on 54 Mint until the day before when I felt so bad from a cold I almost called off the visit. We cancelled that reservation because they charged if you cancelled last minute. It also took about 40 phone calls to get through to cancel. The whole experience made me not like the restaurant before ever going there. We ended up at Bar Bambino and loved it. (never could get a rezy at Delfina to begin with). It was crowded with a great cozy atmosphere and the food was really good. My only complaint was that the portions were small but we were also sharing and probably should have ordered more. The wine the sommelier recommended was excellent. Two of the girls in our party had been to 54 Mint and both said the atmosphere at Bar Bambino was "hipper and younger" and the atmosphere more "warm". But they both left 54 Mint more full. Overall it was a great experience.

yummytrip in San Francisco Bay Area

Delfina, 54 Mint, or Bar Bambino

I am visiting SF for one night only and am going to dinner with a group of 4 to 5 girlfriends who live in the city. These are the restaurants that have been suggested by the girls. We are in our mid-30's and enjoy good food and wine in a lively atmosphere. All three look great online - which one do I choose? (all have tentative reservations made by the different people who suggested them - i make final call)

Other non-Italian suggestions were: LMK and Nopa.

Thanks!

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Delfina Restaurant
3621 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Nopa
560 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Bar Bambino
2931 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

54 Mint
54 Mint St, San Francisco, CA 94103

yummytrip in San Francisco Bay Area

Il Ristorante Giorgio Baldi or Madeo?

Thank you so much for all the replies. I will look into Peppone as well - that sounds good. I'm not into the celebrity factor..just atmosphere and food. And thinking back to my night at La Botte I think "light " was the wrong word - it was fairly empty and cold and I guess while some find the tables spaced apart more intimate, I prefer the cramped, cozy feeling. I also had a newborn at the time and hadn't slept in weeks so that could have affected my experience. Maybe I'll give it another try some time. So many places to try!!!

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Peppone Restaurant
11628 Barrington Ct, Los Angeles, CA 90049

yummytrip in Los Angeles Area

Il Ristorante Giorgio Baldi or Madeo?

Which do you recommend/prefer for a 5 year anniversary dinner? Atmosphere and food are both equally important! We live on the westside and last year went to La Botte and I was very disappointed. I don't remember the food but i hated the ambience - it was too light and stark. We like traditional italian food - pastas, red sauce, veal, that type of thing. I really want a great meal and don't mind the cost as long as we don't leave feeling "let down".

Thank you!!!!

yummytrip in Los Angeles Area

Casa Lucio question

Is is okay/appropriate to bring a baby to dinner at casa lucio?...if we went early, at 8:30? i don't like when people bring their kids to adult restaurants here in LA but I'm not sure how it is in Madrid. I already wrote a post about dining options with a baby and got great feedback and a recommendation for lunch here.

or is lunch the better option? or the restaurant across the street from the same owner?

Thanks!

yummytrip in Spain/Portugal

Restaurants in the countryside outside San Sebastian

steve davis: is it acceptable to bring babies/children to the sidrarias? we are traveling with a one year old. thanks.

yummytrip in Spain/Portugal

Raw Carne Asada to BBQ

Taqueria Sanchez on Inglewood in Culver City

yummytrip in Los Angeles Area

madrid/san sebastian with 1 year old

we are staying in an apartment in austrian madrid - on almendro street, near la latina metro. we will be in madrid tuesday thru friday nights so all weeknights. then we move on to san sebastian. i was in madrid before and cannot remember what time we went out but it was probably later - 8:30 or 9 onward like you said. maybe we will have to do lunches as our main meal and figure it out in the evening depending on how packed places are and when the baby sleeps. thanks for your response - as long as there are places to go, sit outside have a drink and eat we should be fine. we'll probably have to stick to one place a night rather than an actual "crawl".

yummytrip in Spain/Portugal