Please suggest a restaurant to accomodate 8 (one child included) for New Year's Eve. We are headed from FL to CA for the Rose Bowl Parade. We will dine early and prefer no set menu and casual elegant atmosphere. No national chains-why travel to eat what we can have at home?

Used to live in Pasadena. Frequently took our nieces to Il Fornaio in Old Town Pasadena. You will want to go quite early because the teens and overnight campers start lining Colorado Blvd. to get there places on New Years Eve. They have a small private room that we once booked for about 10 people. Call now to see if it's available--that way you won't have to worry about the 8 year old's conduct. The Rose Parade is a very special event and I miss it very much. It was such a part of our New Year's celebration. Oh, be sure to take your child the next day to see the floats parked at the end of the parade route. You can see them really up close. On the 1st, the best places are at the western end of Colorado, but the parade starts at 8 am there.

Il Fornaio is technically a chain, just by the way. We eat there a lot and I love it. Great soup.

What about the Brown Derby? I've heard of it but never eaten there. Anyone?

Have a great trip!
Shel

ttt

I like La Fornaretta which is casual with good Sicilian food.
Cafe Bizou.
Saladang, great Thai food on Fair Oaks.
For more elegant surroundings try any of the restaurants at the Ritz Carlton
Huntington Hotel on So. Oak Knoll.

A few more suggestions:
Twin Palms on Green St. (my fav.)
Parkway Grill on Arroyo Pkwy
Market City Cafe on Fair Oaks (not elegant)
Houstons on Arroyo Pkwy (small chain)
Santorini on Union (sometimes mixed reviews)
Yugean Kangs on Raymond