Babbo

visited Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Waverly Pl. between Sixth Ave. and MacDougal
212-777-0303
http://babbonyc.com/

look: upstairs is roomy and sweet
taste: everything was met with "awesome"
staff: susan was like the aunt you always wanted. special feature: slid past Mario Batali downstairs!
laugh: olivia headbanging along to ac/dc and metallica
if we had to do it over again: there will never be a 'had to', we plan to go back as soon as the pasta tasting menu changes.

River Cafe

visited Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Fulton Landing, Brooklyn
718-522-5200
http://www.rivercafe.com/

look: flowers! beautiful view of sun setting over downtown, it's like a large, stuffed living room at a nice house
taste: semolina rolls, solid entrees, delightful desserts, kir royal
staff: older but wiser
laugh: "kir royal, my favorite coffee"
if we had to do it over again: set ground rules for conversation topics

edited to add photos

Aquagrill

visited Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Spring St. at Sixth Ave.
212-274-0505

look: dim, a little cramped, nice yellow walls and lights
taste: oysters! They seem to use the saffron bisque for entrée sauces
staff: he looked like Tobey Maguire
laugh: we needed one, poor Olivia didn't feel very well
if we had to do it over again: go at brunch for stone crabs