This is a terrific list, thanks very much everybody.
EK, I'm not sure what "spare" means re Annisa but clean, fresh, sparkling flavours are appealing.
MFNYC, we enjoyed Lupa last visit and I think we are located a few doors from another of Batali's restaurants so we'll probably visit that one.
The food is really spectacular in Manhattan and tonight's the night for googling all the recommendations and trying to make reservations.
Thanks again, Linda

Hi Linda: By spare I meant ingredient driven and, as you put it, "clean," more subtle than overpowering. You've already been drawn to it so you probably know that and can appreciate. I have eaten her food at private events but not had a regular meal at the restaurant. I like the French-influenced food at MAS Farmhouse a lot. Both of these are in a slightly higher price category than most of the others mentioned here.

On another thread, I recommended I Sodi, an under-the-radar place (you probably won't find many non_Italian tourists there) which offers Tuscan food (spare in its own way) in a sleek, stylish setting on Christopher Street. Known for their lasagne, porchetta (they also do a boned out rabbit spiced and rolled in porchetta style), chicken under a brick, and other Tuscan classics.

http://www.isodinyc.com/


Also, for a light meal and good people watching, this branch of the Milanese cafe, on Perry Street:

http://www.santambroeus.com/new/frameset.php

Also for light meals (I've had their biscotti but not eaten there), this is a Tuscan bakery a few doors east of I Sodi:

http://ilcantuccionyc.com/en/colazione/

And I will throw out this place on Houston Street in the WV, new in the past year or so, that was reviewed in the Times yesterday. I've not been there, however. We have very few great Vietnamese places of any stripe outside of banh mi joints, so I may have to get here soon, as I like Vn food a lot:




http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.c...ouge-et-blanc/

ek, thanks very much for the additional recommendations. Annisa is definitely in for me and your extra comments re MAS F-House are v. appealing. However I Sodi looks wonderful as well... I'd better bring along my larger sized slacks. What a really terrific list.

Thought I'd let you know we have reservations so far at
I Sodi and Annisa's... looking forward to them.

eks - do you know approximately what are prices for a meal at I Sodi's? Looks like a place I would try.

BowenLinda - hope to get a review from you after you return!!

Thanks

On another thread, I recommended I Sodi, an under-the-radar place (you probably won't find many non_Italian tourists there) which offers Tuscan food (spare in its own way)

I Coppi also offers Tuscan food, in fact they make their own bread without salt in the Tusacn tradition.

http://www.icoppinyc.com/

Flame: Two of us recently (as best I can recall) spent about $115 for dinner including tax and two glasses of wine, but before tip. This was for 2 antipasti (one arugula salad with Castelmagno cheese and one artichoke salad); two primi as main course, their lasagna is excellent, this season they have one with black truffles; and one vegetable side (I liked their peas).

Here is menu with prices; probably does not include up-to-date seasonal fare:

http://menupages.com/restaurants/i-sodi/menu

I would recommend nearby (on the same street, a block east) Il Cantucio for dessert; try their chocolate cantucci.

Let me know how you fare!

Thanks Adu and eks - it will be a while before "I fare" since I am only planning a trip in a few months time. But as I am "a planner" I like to get early info.

You can view menus (and also write-in reviews) on menupages.com to get an idea of offerings and prices.

Recently returned from our 4th annual, sisters-in-law, mid-Nov SUNNY Manhattan trip. Planning for a residential move so will quickly share some thoughts re the really wonderful food we had, pretty well all in the Greenwich/West Village area. Ate at Babbo, Annisa, I Sodi and a terrific, very small Spanish restaurant whose name escapes me.

One of my s-i-law charmed her way w/o reservations for a late dinner at Babbo. Many watched us walk ahead of them but I think living almost next door aided our cause. For appetizers, we shared an argula salad with parmigiano and the grilled sardines. The salad was lovely and fresh and the grilled sardines were delicious. But that dish was ridiculously small - two sardines each half the size of my baby finger. B's entree was a squid ink flavoured ravioli stuffed with goose liver. Excellent flavour, beautifully presented but too rich for an entree for me. K had spaghettini with chives and 1 lb of lobster in a fresh, light tomato sauce - excellent. I had the grilled brazino with vegetables and it was perfectly, just perfectly cooked. Good vibe, great service (nobody said a word to us that the restaurant was closed when we left at 1:45 am - who knew?) and delicious food. I remember $125 for food, wine and tip for each of us.

Next evening was another late dinner at I Sodi. This was K's favourite restaurant of the trip. Small and cozy, personable but professional servers, excellent food. Our shared appetizer was a raw veggie plate with an absolutely delicious Tuscan olive oil bottled by the owner for dipping. Buttery and complicated, it was delicious. K is a pescetarian so I shared a branzino with her and she added on spaghetti with black pepper and pecorino - fresh, fresh, delicious. B enjoyed the house made spinach and ricotta ravioli with butter and sage and I added an insalada mista to the branzino. Another restaurant I would recommend. $100 each including wine and tip.

And finally, Anissa, a restaurant I was eagerly anticipating. A more formal house, again with attentive but personable wait staff (at one point she told K, in a friendly tone, that her wine choice was just wrong). We enjoyed as an appetizer the ceviche fluke - fresh, delicate, delicious, and the field green salad. K had the miso marinated sable with tofu in a bonito broth and absolutely loved it. B and I agreed. B had the olive oil poached halibut and it was another terrific flavour combination. I ate the duo of striped bass with savoy cabbage. Loved the grilled bass, was okay with the second treatment which was, maybe, grilled and then terrine'd. $125 each again for our meal.

All our dinners included tea/coffee and a shared dessert.

We had some great lunches as well, but we were walking much further afield and I didn't note names and menu items.

Another highlight of our trip was our visit to Doyle and Doyle's, an antique, vintage & contemporary jewellery store in the Lower East Village. Beautiful. Needless to say we all happily bought.

Next year we are going to move our get together from NYC, perhaps to Montreal and Q.C. or Paris. We will miss NYC but we'll return in a few years.

Thanks for the reviews.

Echoing the thanks. So glad you enjoyed.

I'll just add a note to this thread, although the OP has come and gone (but hopefully will return soon!)

Perry Street, at the far west end of the street, at the Hudson River/West Street, offers a lunch deal that is quite a bargain considering the $28 price for 2 courses plus dessert. Two of us had an excellent mid-day meal here yesterday, choosing one prix fixe and a couple of a la carte selections. The famous Jean-Georges molten chocolate cake is among the dessert selections, even on the price fixed menu. The vanilla ice cream that accompanies it is the best I've ever tasted.

Serene, quite place, sleek contemporary design, attentive and friendly service.

High probability of celebrity sightings, if that is of any interest.


http://jean-georges.com/

An update... two of the three sister-in-laws will be visiting NYC November 20-25, 2014 (flying out before US Thanksgiving)and staying again in the West Village. We had really wonderful recommendations last time around from the forum and would appreciate new ones, in the WV or close by as we like to walk home after dinner. Mid-range, I guess, $125ísh per person including tax and tip. Like seafood, not meat so much, really no other limitations. Thank you!

I'll return with more ideas, but I would like to mention that two of us had a very good dinner recently at Blue Ribbon Bakery, which is a Village classic, one of a string of well-regarded places owned by two young local brothers. The manager there is a charmer. (Mitchell??) The menu is pretty classic and they are famous for their bone marrow appetizer, and for their fried chicken. They serve breads made in the old oven in the basement, and you would be wise to pick up a baguette or two, and a loaf of their bacon bread, from the retail shop a few steps away. (Look at the cookbook for a general idea of what to expect)

Again, no cutting edge dishes here, but a very pleasant spot with an excellent music selection (Stax, lesser known R&B, etc), played at a normal volume. Good people watching from window tables. It is near the Film Forum, which comes in handy if one is headed there for a film as I was recently. They are very popular for brunch/lunch as well, but I've not been for that:


http://www.blueribbonrestaurants.com...DinnerMenu.pdf

I love Morandi in the West Village. Great ambiance, food, and wine. Fun place with friends.

Bacon bread? Oh my god, that sounds fantastic. Yes, please, more suggestions ek.

Aly, I will definitely check the Morandi out.

Any other recommendations most welcome...

I love Rita Sodi's cooking, but lately I've been eating at Rafele on 7th Ave South - a little less expensive and quite good with a very nice Italian staff.

Little Owl, hands down
go a little out of your way and try Lotus Blue, especially exotic cocktails - very fresh, creatively spiced Chinese food

A little less money makes me smile and I will check out Rafele on 7th, thanks for that CPG.

Thomas, like everyone else I guess, we really enjoy a good cocktail and excellent Chinese food sounds great - thanks for the recommendations.