Times Square Olive Garden? Oh good grief. Of the ten zillion restaurants in New York, that is probably the last one I'd walk in. I'd eat at the Port Authority McDonald's first.

So sorry! Come back without the Olive Garden cretins.

Sorry about the Olive Garden experience, but if that was the only thing that went awry it's ok! I feel your pain though . . . when I'm going to NYC with friends I usually go armed with a list of great new places to try and I swear 85% of the time when it is time to eat and my suggestions aren't in a 4 block radius of where we might happen to be standing at the moment I hear "oh let's not chase all the way <insert any direction here: up there, over there, down there etc.> Oh good Lord - get in the cab or on the subway or even on the bus! I could just scream as we then wander around looking for something "close". By the time we find something "close" we could have been at one of the places on the list. Don't get me wrong I don't have to go to the places that I want to try, but when you have some solid suggestions of new places to try it's disappointing to end up someplace mediocre!

Glad you had a good trip though!

I can help you out with some new restaurants downtown. In SoHo, two restaurants opened up directly next door to one another on Thompson- Nagomi and Goblin Market. Nagomi has great sushi in a low key envrionment. They also have great entrees...their filet mignon is excellent.

Goblin Market is supposed to look like a 19th century English tea room, but it's totally funkified. Their food is also stellar. The menu is seasonal.

Corio is on West Broadway, and this is my favorite new place yet. Corio has a Mediterranean-influenced menu that also features staple comfort fare and small plates. The setting is uber funky and the stereo system plays underground beats as well as old favorites. There's a great bar area downstairs and lounge banquettes upstairs. Totally reccommend it.

Oh, I'm sooo sad you had to eat at Olive Garden! (I myself ate at that Olive Garden once. Ugh!!) Especially when there's a good family-style Italian restaurant called Carmine's around the corner. (That's where I take my reluctant friends; no complaints yet...)

But I am glad you got to try Surya. It's one of my favorite Indian restaurants in the city!

Let us know when you're headed this way this winter, and we'll be sure to give you any new suggestions we may have. ;)

Thanks everyone for your sympathy and additional recommendations!
I'll be sure to check in again before we go back in the Winter.

amyva said:

"I am determined that all of your thoughtful advice will not go in vain."

I was thinking "go to waste" or "have been given in vain" but somehow that jumbled mess came out. Sorry!

This is a great thread!

If you haven't been to Spice Market, I could recommend it - it's not "new" but I really enjoy it and have been there a few times now.

KCROE - as a neighbor to both Nagomi and Goblin Market, I agree that they are both stellar. They are also both located on Prince, not Thompson, and they are not next door to each other. Also, Goblin Market is decorated to look like a rustic American restaurant (a la Cookshop), not a tea room! I'm trying to not confuse the OP too much:-)

Hi Everyone!

I want to thank all of you for your posts last year.

I'm coming back to New York for a week in May. I will make an effort to get to some of the restaurants you suggested this time around (I will just say no to the OG!!) If you have tried any new fabulous restaurants, feel free to add to the suggestions.

Anyway, a quick update and a second question. My boyfriend is now my fiance, and we are of getting married in NY! I was wondering if anybody had a suggestion for a rehearsal dinner location. We will need some kind of private room in a restaurant for about 20-30 people, that is tasty but won't completely break the bank.

Thank you again for all of your help!

Wow - congratulations!!!

The wine cellar in the basement of 'inoteca in the Lower East Side fits exactly 30 people, and they charge $100 per person to rent the space including wine and food.

Congrats.

Rehearsal dinner Brookly or Manhattan?

Manhattan.

However, we are thinking of having a casual brunch the Sunday after in Brooklyn, so I am also open to suggestions for that.

lizziea06: 'inoteca is a great suggestion! I didn't know that they had that kind of space. It would be especially fun for me, since that was my old neighborhood.

Aduchamp1-

I just saw a post of yours on another NY restaurant thread. Amazingly thorough! I will also refer to that thread as our trip approaches.

Thank you but many places cannot easily accomodate a group of 20-30 people.

We have family functions at I Coppi and Cafe Deville. Deville offers well preapred offers French Bistro and has a room downstairs for group.

Comparatively speaking I Coppi is better.

For Indian, Devi's on 19th (?) off Union Square. It's upscale and not traditional Indian, but the food is excellent.

ttt

Devi has gone through some changes. The original owners closed it and it re-opened with new management. Have you been there since?

It was two years ago. Sorry to hear about the changes if the quality has not been kept up.

The owners got into an ugly dispute with the waiters and claimed paying them more closed the place.

In this month's <i>Food &amp; Wine</i>:

<i>Chef Suvir Saran’s newly renovated kitchen in hebron, new york, may look all-American, but it has everything he needs to cook the fabulous Indian dishes he prepares at New York City’s D&eacute;vi. “My life is all about blending my Indian upbringing with Western culture,” says Saran, who recently published American Masala, a cookbook of Indian-inflected American recipes.</i>

Aduchamp,
I Coppi looks good as I just saw the menu online. The recent reviews on Zaget are all positive..another great suggestion of yours.