My husband just quit his job and last night was the first of a few farewells. Being that his office was located in Tribeca, I eagerly anticipated where the dinner might be. The Harrison, perhaps? DeNiro's new hotspot, Ago, maybe? When he announced we'd be going to a spot called 2 Rivers, I asked, "Where??"

I've been writing about NY's food scene for almost a decade, so it's a rarity when someone mentions a restaurant that I've never heard of. But the minute we arrived I could see why it's not on the fooderati radar. The restaurant's name is misspelled as "2 River" on the window, while the awning has it right. Inside, the front room is dominated by a bar full of shot-swilling suits and a few mustard-colored booths awkwardly shoved in, making the area appear like a warehouse for diner cast-offs. More dingy diner booths outfitted the back room along with a motley array of tables, muraled mirrors, and a few carelessly hung pieces of art. TVs throughout showed the ballgames, while pop music loudly thumped from the sound system. "Is this even a restaurant?" I asked.

Apparently so. Decent old-school Italian fare set the tone as we were presented with platters of mozzarella and prosciutto; giant, saucy, nicely-seasoned meatballs; spicy rigatoni arrabbiata; abundant plates of sausage; and the surprise of the night, an incredibly moist and mellow lemon chicken. The service was efficient, the management friendly, and as I looked around the room, everyone was having a good time.

At the end of the night, Amy Winehouse blared from the speakers. This spot needs rehab, I thought. But then again, just like Wino, I realized that's part of its charm.

The requester: A friend

The request: "It's my brother's birthday and the family wants to get together to celebrate. He's a vegetarian who doesn't consider pasta a good alternative; the restaurant needs to be good for groups as we'll be a party of 11; it needs to be good for kids, since we'll have 4, aged 1 to 13; it needs to be on the West Side since many will be coming in from New Jersey; and it needs to be a spot that can take us early, like 5:30, on a Sunday night."

The suggestions: The Chinese/pan-Asian menu at Buddakan is so huge that there will be something for everyone. There's an entire section devoted to tofu and vegetables, and the enormous space has plenty of tables and nooks comfortable for large groups. Landmarc in the Time Warner Center is also good for groups and they are known for catering to kids. They don't have the largest vegetarian choices but there are plenty of entree-sized salads and one of their signature dishes, goat cheese profiteroles, is vegetarian. Everyone will enjoy the Central Park views. If you're in the mood for Indian, Bombay Talkie in Chelsea has a communal table, vast veggie choices, and is stylish enough to feel celebratory. The kids might like the DIY barbecue at Village Korean Do Hwa, whose veggie selections include a great spicy kimchee and tofu stew. Finally, Meatpacking's Fig and Olive has a nice choice of sharable dishes, like crostini and carpaccio (including a delightful zucchini version), plenty of vegetarian options and a space that accommodates groups well.

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)