Beppe
Cesare Casella’s Tuscan place looks like a little house when you arrive, and the homey vibe continues inside, where you’ll find his assertive regionalbased cooking. The expert waiters prevent you from ever having a cookie-cutter meal, but here are a few suggestions: The pontorno is a warm salad of field greens, tarragon viniagarette, pancetta, and scrambled eggs, elevated by freshness and deft handling, and the fries, for some reason, are some of the best in town. Parties here take on a feeling of inclusion. Nobody wants to leave.
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse
With all the suits enjoying tender steaks and the extensive wine list, Del Frisco’s definitely has that old boys’ club feel. The formidable 16,000-square-foot, 480-seat, three-story space has a quintessential New York elegance—especially with its dark wood touches, stone surfaces, and impressive view of Midtown. Private dining options are plentiful: a semiprivate room holds 30, a lounge can accommodate 40, a smaller private room holds 22, and the wine cellar holds 75.
Esca
Mario Batali is not known for mild statements, and the first thing that you see, feel, and have to eat here is fish. The nightly cruda, or anything from the sea, makes sashimi seem old hat. This is more interesting somehow. You want uni, they got uni. While you navigate chef David Pasternack’s ambitious menu, the intelligent-but-not-stuffy staff will steer you to the right wines.
The Harrison
Casual, understated elegance has been the allure of the Harrison since it opened in 2001. The intimate venue’s 85-seat main dining room is urbane yet cozy, with natural wood, steel, leather, and antiques, while the 20-foot black walnut bar offers a more informal relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant has an outdoor area during the warmer months, as well as a lowerlevel private dining space featuring artwork, a farmhouse table, and walls lined with wooden wine racks.
'Inoteca
This late night Lower East Side haunt serves great plates of Italian fare to share. The cast-iron framed windows and hardwood floors only hint at why this spot buzzes well after midnight. For wine enthusiasts and those seeking quiet respite from the crowd, the cantina downstairs was inspired by Italian liquor bars and showcases a collection of regional Italian wines.
L'Impero
Although it’s a bit tricky in the cab, once you find this Tudor City destination restaurant designed by Vicente Wolf, you’ll want to stay awhile. Past the chic black entry, a pretty, small bar glows invitingly. Lots of people like to lingerhere in the comfy low seats. When you’re ready for dinner, you go from darkness to dawn—the clean, open dining room, while dimly lit, exudes light and air. The Italian food is specific here, so take your time with the menu, but don’t be afraid to ask for custom orders—this is a restaurant that is accommodating.
Provence
If you can’t tell whether you’re in SoHo or Southern France, you must be in Provence on MacDougal Street. Owner Michel Jean’s ornately carved paneling and garlic roast chicken have been transporting people, at least mentally, for over 20 years now. In December, stop by and smell their garlic Christmas tree. In the summer, book their jardin for groups of up to 30 and let guests marvel at the little fountain (and don’t forget to ask if les petits choux-fleurs are in season). Practice your French—they won’t mind.
Sapa
Owner Brian Matzkow named this French Vietnamese restaurant after an ancient city in Vietnam. For formal entertaining, two semiprivate V.I.P. booths at the rear of the main dining room provide a great view of the restaurant’s carefully chosen Vietnamese-inspired decor. A more casual option is to relax in the white leather sofas of the lounge. Lunchtime works for low-key meetings.
Savoy
Owner and chef Peter Hoffman serves seasonal and creative American fare in this tiny gem on the corner of Prince and Crosby streets. After a redesign in September 2002, the slightly sleeker new space still retains some intimacy with the upstairs dining room and its open fireplace. Consider it a quieter alternative to the bustle of the nearby Balthazar.
Suba
Don’t let its location in a 1909 Lower East Side tenement building fool you—this contemporary Spanish spot works for business events, with a projection screen and other audiovisual perks. And although it’s closed to the public during the day, you can book a lunch meeting here. The highlight of Suba’s raw yet refined interior (with brick walls, polished steel railings and stairs, wood tables, and moss-green colored upholstery) is the 52-seat Grotto room—a concrete island surrounded by water and submerged lights that shimmer against the walls.
—Ted Kruckel & Anna Sekula
Photo: Michael Kleinberg (Sapa)
Posted 05.31.05
This story originally appeared in the April/May 2005 issue of the BiZBash Event Style Reporter.
Cesare Casella’s Tuscan place looks like a little house when you arrive, and the homey vibe continues inside, where you’ll find his assertive regionalbased cooking. The expert waiters prevent you from ever having a cookie-cutter meal, but here are a few suggestions: The pontorno is a warm salad of field greens, tarragon viniagarette, pancetta, and scrambled eggs, elevated by freshness and deft handling, and the fries, for some reason, are some of the best in town. Parties here take on a feeling of inclusion. Nobody wants to leave.
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse
With all the suits enjoying tender steaks and the extensive wine list, Del Frisco’s definitely has that old boys’ club feel. The formidable 16,000-square-foot, 480-seat, three-story space has a quintessential New York elegance—especially with its dark wood touches, stone surfaces, and impressive view of Midtown. Private dining options are plentiful: a semiprivate room holds 30, a lounge can accommodate 40, a smaller private room holds 22, and the wine cellar holds 75.
Esca
Mario Batali is not known for mild statements, and the first thing that you see, feel, and have to eat here is fish. The nightly cruda, or anything from the sea, makes sashimi seem old hat. This is more interesting somehow. You want uni, they got uni. While you navigate chef David Pasternack’s ambitious menu, the intelligent-but-not-stuffy staff will steer you to the right wines.
The Harrison
Casual, understated elegance has been the allure of the Harrison since it opened in 2001. The intimate venue’s 85-seat main dining room is urbane yet cozy, with natural wood, steel, leather, and antiques, while the 20-foot black walnut bar offers a more informal relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant has an outdoor area during the warmer months, as well as a lowerlevel private dining space featuring artwork, a farmhouse table, and walls lined with wooden wine racks.
'Inoteca
This late night Lower East Side haunt serves great plates of Italian fare to share. The cast-iron framed windows and hardwood floors only hint at why this spot buzzes well after midnight. For wine enthusiasts and those seeking quiet respite from the crowd, the cantina downstairs was inspired by Italian liquor bars and showcases a collection of regional Italian wines.
L'Impero
Although it’s a bit tricky in the cab, once you find this Tudor City destination restaurant designed by Vicente Wolf, you’ll want to stay awhile. Past the chic black entry, a pretty, small bar glows invitingly. Lots of people like to lingerhere in the comfy low seats. When you’re ready for dinner, you go from darkness to dawn—the clean, open dining room, while dimly lit, exudes light and air. The Italian food is specific here, so take your time with the menu, but don’t be afraid to ask for custom orders—this is a restaurant that is accommodating.
Provence
If you can’t tell whether you’re in SoHo or Southern France, you must be in Provence on MacDougal Street. Owner Michel Jean’s ornately carved paneling and garlic roast chicken have been transporting people, at least mentally, for over 20 years now. In December, stop by and smell their garlic Christmas tree. In the summer, book their jardin for groups of up to 30 and let guests marvel at the little fountain (and don’t forget to ask if les petits choux-fleurs are in season). Practice your French—they won’t mind.
Sapa
Owner Brian Matzkow named this French Vietnamese restaurant after an ancient city in Vietnam. For formal entertaining, two semiprivate V.I.P. booths at the rear of the main dining room provide a great view of the restaurant’s carefully chosen Vietnamese-inspired decor. A more casual option is to relax in the white leather sofas of the lounge. Lunchtime works for low-key meetings.
Savoy
Owner and chef Peter Hoffman serves seasonal and creative American fare in this tiny gem on the corner of Prince and Crosby streets. After a redesign in September 2002, the slightly sleeker new space still retains some intimacy with the upstairs dining room and its open fireplace. Consider it a quieter alternative to the bustle of the nearby Balthazar.
Suba
Don’t let its location in a 1909 Lower East Side tenement building fool you—this contemporary Spanish spot works for business events, with a projection screen and other audiovisual perks. And although it’s closed to the public during the day, you can book a lunch meeting here. The highlight of Suba’s raw yet refined interior (with brick walls, polished steel railings and stairs, wood tables, and moss-green colored upholstery) is the 52-seat Grotto room—a concrete island surrounded by water and submerged lights that shimmer against the walls.
—Ted Kruckel & Anna Sekula
Photo: Michael Kleinberg (Sapa)
Posted 05.31.05
This story originally appeared in the April/May 2005 issue of the BiZBash Event Style Reporter.
L'Impero
Sapa
