Celebratory Break-Up Dinner
I recently got out of a relationship, and my foodie best friend suggested that we treat ourselves to a nice meal out (ex was not exactly beloved by this friend!). I rarely spend much when I go out to eat, so as excited as I am by this idea, I am also a little overwhelmed by all the possibilities and would love to hear which restaurants my fellow SE'ers think are appropriately celebratory without breaking the bank. I'm not a fan of sushi or Italian and don't want to spend more than $20-$25 on an entree but am otherwise open. Someplace in Manhattan or Brooklyn would be preferable.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
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18 Comments:
I'm from Canada so I've got nothing on the restaurant tip front, but I applaud your concept of the celebratory break-up dinner. Some break-ups are meant to be. :)
lexophile at 6:48PM on 10/19/09
Good for you, and you SHOULD enjoy a splurge! I'd suggest going for a type of food/restaurant that the ex would never have taken you to. Don't forget to tell the bartender why you're there - may be good for a shot or two!
finewinendine at 7:24PM on 10/19/09
Dinner? I'd go for a great bottle of something or a giant hot fudge sundae (not as mopey food, but those are my celebratory foods as well).
gingercookiewithlime at 7:42PM on 10/19/09
Any food your ex didn't like?
Just a note-
Don't celebrate a break up. Celebrate your new you and all the opportunities that holds.
CJ McD at 7:51PM on 10/19/09
I recommend Graffiti (http://www.graffitinyc.com/) in the East Village. The idea at the restaurant is to order several items from the menu and share them with a special person (in your case, your foodie friend). The restaurant is very small and charming, and the food is exceptional. The chef has put a lot of thought into creating food that is full of flavor.
punkerplus at 8:08PM on 10/19/09
I like CJ McD's approach... celebrate your new beggining and the possibilities that will bring forth. I went for brunch to EATS on Greenwich Avenue, i think. super nice, appropriate for foodies and within your budget...
MadelynRodriguez at 8:20PM on 10/19/09
NO on Graffiti - as much I adore Jehangir Mehta, I don't think his restaurant merits much attention or the prices that he charges. He was better as a pastry chef.
I highly recommend Saul in Cobble Hill - amazing food and a bonus is that it's less costly than a comparable meal in Manhattan. They have a Michelin star - obviously good food! And you get a wonderful neighborhood to go out in afterward!
Other recs in Cobble Hill area: Chestnut, Frankies 457, and the Grocery.
charm city cupcake at 11:30PM on 10/19/09
CJ is right - celebrate yourselves, not the breakup!
if you can manage to get a reservation, little owl would be really nice.
also maybe one of the more casual eating areas in the high end places - like aquavit cafe or the bar room at the modern.
as mentioned above, a small plate place might be nice - like alta, boqueria, or jack's luxury oyster bar.
kristin314 at 9:16AM on 10/20/09
I second @CharmCity's Cobble Hill recommendations. I'd also add QUality Meats, the Frankie's offshoot -- great food and cocktails.
I also recently had a fun and fantastic meal at Zenkichi in Williamsburg. Really great Japanese and saki, and such a fun place:
http://www.zenkichi.com/
Enjoy -- and here's to new beginnings! (Glasses clinking in background :)
CookiePie at 1:00PM on 10/20/09
When I broke up with someone I bought a 50 euro bottle of red wine and drank it with my dinner than night. Felt awesome.
jerkfaceirl at 2:10PM on 10/20/09
How about either Otto ( http://www.ottopizzeria.com/) or Boqueria SoHo ( http://www.boquerianyc.com/index2.html ) both are great places for groups, fairly affordable, and have perfect atmospheres for ordering lots of small plates to share and wine (or sangria in Boqueria's case).
andrearode at 2:36PM on 10/20/09
I have no recommendations but congrats, bisou! It's a great idea - I might have to do the same.
EttaY at 4:21PM on 10/20/09
Thanks for all the suggestions and well-wishes everyone! Although I did phrase it in terms of a break-up dinner, it really is a celebration of me getting back to my normal (better) self--ex loved eating but not food per se, and always criticized my "picky" (aka, not Papa John's) taste. I'll definitely check out some of these places; we were also thinking of No. 7, Public, or Friend of a Farmer if anyone has been to any of those places.
bisou at 11:01PM on 10/20/09
the brooklyn suggestions were all excellent, good to see that my neighborhood is well represented (heyoo smith street!). i like public. the food is good, and it's pretty lively so good for a celebratory night out. friend of a farmer sucks. sorry to be blunt, but don't waste a fun night out on that over-rated yuppie hellhole. if you want to stay in manhattan, there are so many great places in that price range. i'm just going to pick a neighborhood and say west village: little owl, perilla, mary's fish camp, pearl's oyster bar, market table, aquagrill (soho but had to throw that one in), morandi, the place, extra virgin (italian, but more rustic not a typical red sauce joint), so many choices. enjoy your night out!
cg_ups at 9:09AM on 10/21/09
congrats bisou!
I just went though a similar situation and my GF and I polished off a few bottles of thoughtfully-selected wines and a few blocks of cheese LOL!
Wish I could be of more help; enjoy!
hungrychristel at 1:29PM on 10/21/09
Gotta cosign the recommendations by charm city cupcake. All very good restaurants. Saul is a bit on the pricey side but it should fit into the budget of $ 20-25. Food is great. The Vanderbilt just opened (Vanderbilt and Bergen) which is Saul Bolton's new restaurant...supposed to be good as well.
NYChef10 at 4:26PM on 10/21/09
Public does a "Sunday Supper" every week that's like a mini-tasting menu -- 5 courses, chef's choice, for $50. If you're looking to celebrate your greater food freedom, that could be fun! The menu a couple of weeks ago was very tasty and not too overwhelmingly huge, and like cg_ups said, the atmosphere is lively but not crazy loud (on Sundays at least).
sarahinnewyork at 12:43PM on 10/22/09
Go to Balthazar. It's fun, lively, has a fantastic menu (all price points, delicious, too) and just feels celebratory.
(Otherwise, my vote goes to Public - also a really fun atmosphere and a really memorable menu. Plus, if you want to keep drinking afterwards, you can hit up the Monday Room.)
Cheers!
Sweet Freak at 11:14AM on 10/23/09