Cafe Carlyle

[TarteTatin]

We're going in two weekends- to see a concert at the Cafe Carlyle. They "require" that you have dinner there. Does anyone know anything about the food?

I found this:

http://thecarlyle.com/entertainment.cfm

but wanted some other opinions.

Not that we have a choice!

Any other suggestions for our weekend in Manhattan?

We're thinking good ethnic food, not expensive, since we'll be spending lots that evening...Italian/French bistro/other ethnic...Singaporean?

"Die, die, must try!"

Thanks!

[Pan]

Not Singaporean, but many regulars here know that I tout Skyway as a good Malaysian restaurant.

How are the Korean restaurants in Philly?

[weinoo]

Please take a look at any of the existing NYC dining threads for some of your other dining choices... here's one to get you started...click here.

[Margo]

My parents saw Eartha Kitt there last fall, and they didn't mention the food at all... But that may have been the electrifying Miss Kitt's doing.

[Sneakeater]

The only time I've been able to go to the Cafe Carlyle without ordering dinner was when I got the last possible reservations for a performance, which involved their setting up an extra table for us in the room that wasn't big enough to comfortably dine.

(They actually apologized to me when I made the reservation that I wouldn't be able to order dinner. I tried to conceal my glee.)

[TarteTatin]

Thank you for the link, Weinoo-Mitch, it is very helpful!

And, Pan, Skyway looks good, as well as some others listed.

Pan-Regarding Korean restaurants in Philly -we have a few delicious ones in Northeast Philly, can't remember the name, but we loved a Korean BBQ place. There's a thread on it in the Pa section.

The newish ones in Center City haven't gotten super reviews. Although there is a new one around the corner from our office at 2nd & Chestnut that sounds okay.

[TarteTatin]

The good news: Judy Collins was MAGNIFICENT!

The bad news: The food was some of the worst I've ever had, especially for the price. And the service wasn't too hot either.

Six of us had (mostly) $24 appetizers: A slice of basic foie gras, an insipid lobster bisque, a tasteless caesar salad.

Six of us had (mostly) $44-$50 entrees: Horrible "chicken hash". This was cookie cutter squares of chicken with large pieces of truffles that had absolutely no taste whatsoever, over mashed potatoes with no taste whatsoever, not even salt....others had a single basic small, thin filet of Dover Sole for $50, nothing special. The steak, lamb chops and swordfish looked like the better, old school choices. We had a side of peeled asparagus, again, no taste. Desserts ($14) weren't much better. I had what tasted like a supermarket vanilla ice cream covered with a what tasted like supermarket hot chocolate sauce and was touted as "French ice cream with a chocolate sauce". Someone else had the worst creme brulee they'd ever had.

Service was rushed, crowded, old school waiters, who constantly bumped into the back of everyone's chairs. Granted, it is a tight space, and they want to serve you before the show starts. But there wasn't any finesse to this (formerly in the business, we understand what can and cannot be done in the circumstances). They even took away more than a half a bottle of expensive wine, never to appear again. When I asked about it- after the show, they said it had all been poured, but I was watching, and it definitely wasn't...

Anyway, it was a very expensive evening. $125 a ticket for Judy. Plus the dinner. It was totally worth it for an incredibly close venue with an incredible singer and personality like Judy Collins. But if they require dinner to be eaten there, why can't they make it decent???

[Nathan]

because their customers don't expect it.