I'm often asked for suggestions on where to eat around town from relatives, friends and relatively friendly people who have specific needs. I'm happy to oblige, as long as they report back and let me know how the experience went. (I'd hate to continue recommending a place that didn't live up to expectations). This new featurette, "Tell Me Where to Go," reveals the results.

The requester: My cousin

The request: "We are a group of about 12 coming into town from California to celebrate a 50th birthday. One night, we'd love to eat downtown--somewhere we don't have to get dressed up; somewhere conducive to a large group; with great food, of course; and somewhere we won't get kicked out for being too loud."

The suggestions: If you're in the mood for barbecue, the semi-private alcoves at Chelsea's Hill Country are great for groups, and they put together tastings for around $20 a head with no room fee. Live music adds to the party atmosphere. Barbuto in the West Village offers either a private room or a large table in the kitchen for multi-course, family-style meals for $60 a head with no room fee. For old-school Italian, Marinella on Carmine Street has a back room for big parties where you can order a la carte. If you want a real private affair, tapas-spot Tia Pol in Chelsea offers menus from $45-$90 a person and a private room fee of $250.

The choice: "We chose the kitchen table at Barbuto because we loved the idea of seeing the chefs in action. Also, we thought Italian food would be great for those in our group who don't eat meat."

The result: "Terrific! It seemed like the food never stopped. There were cured meats, salads, appetizers like codfish croquettes; three different kinds of pasta; an amazing roast chicken, pork loin and the biggest scallops I have ever seen, among many other dishes and desserts. The staff was very helpful with wine suggestions. It was a blast--casual, with great food, and no, we didn't get kicked out!"

Want to know where to go? We'll tell you if you drop us an email about your specific needs. (And if you let us know how it went, we'll publish it on the site.)

(Roast chicken photo courtesy of Barbuto)