anamaria

Hi, I've been away for about two years and I am back. Yes life happened to me and I haven't been able to be on the forum. All is good.
Here is the question. Our 19 year old son is a freshman at NYU. Because he is on the college student plan(we don't send him as much money as he wants) he eats on a budget. My husband and I will be going to the parent weekend this coming up weekend and want to take him somewhere in the city that has fabulous wine and food. Maybe something new.No budget. One of the nights we are there we will take out he and his girlfriend who goes to Parsons.Any suggestions? We are in NYC from the 17th to the 21 and we are also taking in a Giants game on Sunday.Thanks for any help.

doug_stallings

Since your son isn't yet 21, he can't legally drink in NYC and will probably be refused service if you order wine or drinks for him (unless he looks much older). So I'm assuming the great wine is for you and your spouse, not your son and his probably also-under-age girlfriend.

One of my favorite restaurants is 11 Madison Park (it's also one of the most expensive). Everything there is impeccable. Your son might enjoy a more trendy place with good food like the Spotted Pig, but it's hard to get in there.

But neither of my suggestions is "new". There are plenty of people here who will give you more suggestions.

williamscb13

I know people say that 11 MP is great I think it is old, stuffy, and boring, and frankly didn't have that great a meal there.

Plus, there are lots of new great restaurants in the city that will have a little younger vibe to them than 11 MP.

Keep looking.

monpetit

Gramercy tavern, Cafe Boulud and la table de Joel Robuchon are nice options for the food and for the wine...
Other options : Ocean Grill(upper west side) or Etats Unis(Upper east side), more casual...
Some steak house could be a good choice : Ben and Johnson, Smith and Wolenski.
And finally, more in the up(in price
...not necessary in food-depend of your preference) : Aureole, Le Bernardin..
Quite all those have website with their menus...
Erik.
NB : It's true that your son could not be served wine, but he can taste in your glasses...
For a very good wine, a glass-a glass 1/2 is enough for accompagning a good meal...
Erik

dmlove

NB : It's true that your son could not be served wine, but he can taste in your glasses...

This is absolutely not true, legally-speaking. An under-21 year old cannot drink alcoholic beverages in an establishment with a liquor license, whether it's from his parents glass or otherwise. The establishment may or may not ask him for I.D., and may or may not ask him to "stop", but yes, they could lose their liquor license if they permit him to drink in the restaurant.

Katie_H

Hmm... I like these NY food challenges.

Off the top of my head I'd recommend that you check out Bar Milano. It's the latest from the guys that brought New York 'inoteca and Lupa.
http://barmilano.com/

Blue Hill is one of my favorite restaurants in New York...and it's probably not far from his dorm room.
http://www.bluehillnyc.com/

anamaria

Please keep the replies coming. Having a European background we serve our 19 yr.old wine for special occasions.This would be one of them. He knows his wine.His girlfriend doesn't drink. Now his 22 yr old brother would rather have a German beer.Our 19yr old would rather have a Cab or a great Malbec. The wine is not important but the restaurant is.I will check out the ones mentioned and hope that by the time we leave California on Friday, I will have more restaurants to look at.Thanks for the replies.

mp

I would take a 19 year old foodie (as a parent of a 14 year old NY foodie) to any or all of the following for a big deal, splurge with the grown-ups paying: Scarpetta, Insieme, Chanterelle, del Posto, Blue Hill, Mas, Gramercy Tavern, Gotham Bar and Grill or Toqueville,

For a downtown, hip, really interesting food experience: Momofuku Ssam Bar, Hakata Tonton, Boqueria, Elletteria, Casa Mono, Aki, Blue Ribbon Sushi, Fatty Crab, Little Owl.

You can do further research/read reviews/make reservations on:
www.nymag.com
www.nytimes.com
www.menupages.com
www.eater.com
www.opentable.com

monpetit

Agree with you...
We also "offer" some wine, in small quantitity to our daughter, when she was 17 years old and after...
And we began with the youngest..
Doing this, she likes now having a glass of GOOD wine and didn't need
wine for wine...
Beginning education not too early but intelligently avoid some excess.
Now, I agree , no way to fragilise a restaurant and so we'll be "in the law" next time in NYC...
Erik
NB : Gramercy and Joel Robuchon are the favorites of our daughters when in NYC...

nytraveler

I understand allowing teens to drink wine - I was raised that way and we raised my step-daughters that way. But - while you can do it at home - and at private parties (although you would be legally responsible for any resulting problem) a 19 year old CANNOT drink in public in NYC.

And to let your son drink from your glass is not fair to the restaurant - who might have to suffer the legal consequences. And the repercussions (besides an uncomfortable situation) could be serious for the restaurant.

I know this sounds odd to people coming from places with more liberal laws - but the intent is to save lives by preventing kids from drinking and driving.

SAnParis2

Having taken my BIL & his girlfriend to NYC a few years ago (when both were underage) they were never refused service, nor asked for ID. We would order a bottle of wine & see how many glasses they would bring. They always brought 4. Just an FYI.

anamaria

Well I am just loving all of these restaurants.I will compile a book because we will being going to NYC for the next 4 years. mp I think one of the nights we will try one of those hip restaurants...like Blue Ribbon Sushi.I have noticed on his debit card that he has not had any sushi...but then again on his meal plan at NYU one of the dining halls has sushi,GO FIGURE!!!!

Gekko

Another vote for Scarpetta ... it's in a neighborhood he'll enjoy.

If you're interested in a classic New York experience, then Le Cirque.

elysag

I recently had a great meal at A Voce... wonderful food and fabulous wine.

NYCBella

Ate at Blue Hill last night - wonderful. Ask & see if they can seat you in the back dining room for a more relaxed meal.

Gekko

If by "hottest" you mean new & hip, then Scarpetta is the logical choice.

It's new, well-reviewed, and in the Meatpacking District (hip neighborhood).

Before or after dinner, be sure to have a drink at the rooftop bar at the Gansevoort Hotel. Your son will LOVE it.

anamaria

Gekko, I went online to see about reservations and they only have 9;30.Do they take walk-ins? We would just wait at the bar. I will call to see if that is better.

lcuy

My 23 yr old daughter ALWAYS asks to go to 11 Madison Park when I'm visiting. She and I both love it, and have been there several times in the three years she has been studying in NYC.

Wherever you plan to go, you better get advance reservations. NYU will have lots of parents in town wanting to feed their kids, and I think this is the Columbia parent weekend also.

Gekko

Yes, you can wait for a table at Scarpetta.

You'll obviously wait much longer both on Fri/Sat and during prime times.

http://scarpettanyc.com/

anamaria

My husband who grew up in New Jersey but has been now in California for 30 years wants to take our son to the "Rutt Hut" before the Giants game on Sunday and after the game go to "The Clam Broth House"....how does that sound?