Where to eat for celebratory meal?

[paulraphael]

We want to take my godmother out for her 90th birthday. Looking for a great restaurant that's 1) open and 2) has outdoor seating.

 

First choice was Le Bernardin, which is closed.

 

Jean Georges and Nougatine have no reservations, and Daniel will only seat parties of 4 (we have 5).

 

Thoughts??

[dcarch]

Farm-to-table restaurants may be of great interest to you.

Blue Hills I think is only indoors.

There are a few others.

 

One I like is Fable, has out door seating. Not sure they are open. May be you can get in touch with the operator and see if they will make you something to eat.

Fable: From Farm to Table

4.5  (13) · Farm

1311 Kitchawan Rd

Closed ⋅ Opens 11AM Sun

"Great food and fun for everybody."

 

[scamhi]

we recently did a celebratory meal with take out from Wu's Wonton King. we ordered in advance a live king crab and it was prepared 3 ways.

 Steamed, dry fried and crab  fried rice. we also had other dishes but the king crab was the start. At home.

Other ideas

We also had a very nice meal in the garden at Sripraphai in Woodside Queens. We BYO'd bring stems $10.00 corkage

Noreetuh in the east village makes a great mochi fried chicken, uni and Wagyu steak. dining on the street.

[paulraphael]

Blue Hill already caught my attention. I've never been there, but have wanted to go, and it seems like the kind of cooking she'd love. 

 

The NYC restaurant doesn't seem to have a website. There's a 3rd party site that's taking reservations (and they're available) but it's a little odd to not have information from the horse's mouth. Anyone been lately?

[weinoo]

11 hours ago, scamhi said:

we recently did a celebratory meal with take out from Wu's Wonton King. we ordered in advance a live king crab and it was prepared 3 ways.

 Steamed, dry fried and crab  fried rice. we also had other dishes but the king crab was the start. At home.

Other ideas

We also had a very nice meal in the garden at Sripraphai in Woodside Queens. We BYO'd bring stems $10.00 corkage

Noreetuh in the east village makes a great mochi fried chicken, uni and Wagyu steak. dining on the street.

 

Wu's now has street dining! But then you're on the street. By a subway entrance. 

 

Noreetuh has always been a fave - and the wines! Fine dining? Not necessarily.

 

7 hours ago, paulraphael said:

Blue Hill already caught my attention. I've never been there, but have wanted to go, and it seems like the kind of cooking she'd love. 

 

The NYC restaurant doesn't seem to have a website. There's a 3rd party site that's taking reservations (and they're available) but it's a little odd to not have information from the horse's mouth. Anyone been lately?

 

I think one of the things you have to be cognizant of when street dining is the possibility that it might not be that nice out! 

Last week, out friends were having a beautiful anniversary meal somewhere around Mulberry and Prince streets.  It was 8 PM.  All of a sudden, a construction crew rolls up, and they start, yes, opening up the street - you know how they do that! Destroyed the meal.

 

Gardens would be one of the only ways I'd think of doing this...I've heard good things about Olmsted (as well as their trading post).

 

And last week, other friends ate outside at Ernesto's and said it was pleasant enough, but probably better for deuces. I just don't see how they can make room for more at any table.

 

Fuck Jean Georges and that building.

 

[dcarch]

Many restaurants have backyard tables.

Make sure you check weather report, 10-day forecast before making reservation.

 

dcarch

[weinoo]

Many? Not really here in Manhattan - they're few and far between. That's why I referred Paul to a Brooklyn place.

 

When was the last time a weather forecast was right 8 days out?

[KennethT]

I've walked by a few places that have beautiful outdoor setups... Scarpetta is done really nicely. I know it's not nearly as nice as you're looking for, but the setup is surrounded by flowers, adn the tables have white tablecloths... it's a pretty pink theme.

[weinoo]

And only a little scaffolding!

 

Cafe Katja (of course, food much different) has a really nice outdoor setup as well; they'd already set it up nicely, as that part of Orchard St. had already had the parking spaces taken away and given over to the restaurant - he's even covered in case of rain.

[Eatmywords]

10 hours ago, paulraphael said:

Blue Hill already caught my attention. I've never been there, but have wanted to go, and it seems like the kind of cooking she'd love. 

 

The NYC restaurant doesn't seem to have a website. There's a 3rd party site that's taking reservations (and they're available) but it's a little odd to not have information from the horse's mouth. Anyone been lately?

 

Road trip? https://www.bluehillfarm.com/dine/stone-barns

Edited August 25, 2020 by Eatmywords (log)

[scamhi]

36 minutes ago, Eatmywords said:

 

Road trip? https://www.bluehillfarm.com/dine/stone-barns

 

ha!

For a picnic cost per person is $195.00 per person plus beverage (no BYO now) and a 20% administration fee. They don't provide a sample menu.

They are a gratuity free restaurant. "We recently did away with the practice of tipping, ensuring that our entire team is compensated more equitably. Instead, a 20% administrative fee will be added to your bill. This fee is not a gratuity nor is it distributed to the service staff."

 

[Eatmywords]

20 minutes ago, scamhi said:

ha!

For a picnic cost per person is $195.00 per person plus beverage (no BYO now) and a 20% administration fee. They don't provide a sample menu.

They are a gratuity free restaurant. "We recently did away with the practice of tipping, ensuring that our entire team is compensated more equitably. Instead, a 20% administrative fee will be added to your bill. This fee is not a gratuity nor is it distributed to the service staff."

 

 

Was there a budget? BH is in the same cat as Bernardin and JG.  The cost of celebrating sometimes knows no boundaries. 

[scamhi]

11 minutes ago, Eatmywords said:

 

Was there a budget? BH is in the same cat as Bernardin and JG.  The cost of celebrating sometimes knows no boundaries. 

I would at least like to get an idea of what is being served for my $234.00 per person plus beverages. 

[Yiannos]

1 hour ago, Eatmywords said:

The cost of celebrating sometimes knows no boundaries.

 

My philosophy too, especially once in a lifetime events like these, we should all be so lucky to celebrate a 90th.

 

58 minutes ago, scamhi said:

I would at least like to get an idea of what is being served for my $234.00 per person plus beverages.

 

Personally, I am quite comfortable with some surprise and a great reputation.

[Eatmywords]

My question w center more around the chef's presence i.e will Dan Barber be in house?  Otherwise you don't need to know more than the menu w consist of organic veg and pork raised steps away. 🤪  Actually, it doesn't matter, they're booked through Sep.

[KennethT]

He is actually stepping away from the restaurant entirely.

https://ny.eater.com/2020/8/17/21372260/blue-hill-stone-barns-pivot-resident-chef-program-racism-nyc-restaurants

[Eatmywords]

Ha, I was about to say the same.......https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/17/dining/blue-hill-chef-in-residence-program.html

[dcarch]

2 hours ago, Eatmywords said:

My question w center more around the chef's presence i.e will Dan Barber be in house?  -----

 

I think Dan Barber is leaving Blue Hills.

 

dcarch

[Steve R.]

The River Cafe is open (outdoors, with that view).

[MetsFan5]

I’d love to eat at Scarpetta. But we’d have to drive in and that’s likely not appreciated. Plus, it’s weather dependent. 

[weinoo]

14 hours ago, Steve R. said:

The River Cafe is open (outdoors, with that view).

This is an excellent idea (though the food may be secondary, it's certainly got an historical significance). 

[paulraphael]

Thanks everyone. It turns out Daniel will do a table for 5 if you ask nicely, so we got a reservation there. It's for later in September, so who knows what the weather will be. We're utterly at its mercy. If a hurricane or cold snap rolls through we may need to rethink things.