LTHForum.com

Hello! I've been reading for a long time but never posted, so here it goes. I hope you can help out!

I have a team summit for work next week in New York City and I have been tasked with finding us dinner reservations for three nights. I know NYC has some amazing restaurants, so I want to make sure I make solid picks. Here are the requirements:

1) Group will be 10-15 people.
2) Reasonable variety of food (no place that is only seafood or only meat, etc.)
3) We will be expensing the meals, so nothing so expensive that the boss will get mad. Anything $$$$ is probably out.
4) Very strong preference for locations in or near Chelsea district. We'll be working right across the street from Chelsea Market.
5) Preferably an atmosphere conducive to conversation.

Any and all recommendations welcome. Thank you in advance!

Yeah, that's on the southern end of Chelsea, closer to the Meatpacking District but not too far from the West Village.

Scarpetta, Morimoto, Del Posto, and Colicchio & Sons are all around there but probably more than you want to spend. It's going to be hard to get somewhere relatively quiet AND not too expensive.

Maybe the Tap Room at Colicchio & Sons, not sure how they handle big groups.

Some thoughts:
Legend - Two level Chinese restaurant, larger groups can probably do a semi-private alcove (with karaoke machine!) on the basement level. They take reservations, regularly do big groups, have a liquor license, and are relatively friendly. Avoid the Vietnamese dishes on the menu. Stick to the Sichuan ones like dan dan noodles, wontons in red oil, etc.
Pastis - Balthazar-lite. French bistro, something for everyone, but a little crowded and noisy. However, they do have a long communal table that may work with your group. The food isn't amazing but it's dependable.
Crispo - They'll ask you to do a prix fixe dependent upon what day and how many people, 10 would be a different prix fixe package than 14+ which is served family style according to their site. And it can be noisy, but I'm wondering if you could work with them regarding exact placement of your table, to try to find a less noisy part of the room.

A little further away:
Txikito - Excellent Basque tapas, with a variety of daily specials such as roasted fish, housemade sausage, suckling pig. They have a private room that might work.
Tipsy Parson - Southern, I think they'd require a prix fixe.
Salinas - Tapas, more Catalan influenced, I believe.
Co aka Company - Jim Lahey of "no knead bread" fame's pizza place, they only do large parties before 6:30pm though.

I second the Txikito rec, great place.

I don't usually eat in that neighborhood, but recently I hosted a group at Banana Leaf, a very casual BYOB Sri Lankan place at 227 28th between 7th and 8th. The food was phenomenal. Probably one of the best meals I've had in New York. The Batali and Colichio places are fine, but I find them overpriced and under-flavored. Of course, don't expect expensive diningware and fixtures at the Sri Lankan joint, though I still think they have great atmosphere, whatever that means.

_________________
"By the fig, the olive..." Surat Al-Teen, Mecca 95:1"

Suenos is a stylish, mid-priced Mexican restaurant with good food. They have a long table that is semi-private right off the main room -- it can definitely accommodate 10, but probably not 15. They can probably put two or three tables together in the main room, as well. It's located on 17th St. between 8th and 9th Ave., an easy walk from the Chelsea Market.

Crispo is a nice idea, too, although it is much louder.

A good friend of mine has a really nice farm to table type place in the W.Village called Bell, Book and Candle. Solid food resaonably priced with a back room that would probably suit your needs. In the summer he barely buys produce, growing 90% on his roof.

_________________
"In pursuit of joys untasted"
from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata

Buddakan should do the trick. Its right next to the Chelsea Market as well.

I had a great group dinner at Alta about a year ago.