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Casa La Femme - CLOSED
Rating Details »
Categories: Middle Eastern, Nightlife [Edit]
Neighborhood: East Village1076 1st Ave
New York, NY 10012
(212) 505-0005
- Nearest Transit:
-
1st Ave-14th St (L)
Astor Place (6)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Best Nights:
- Wed, Thu, Fri
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
13 reviews for Casa La Femme
Surrounded by lace curtain, candlelight, throw pillows for seating, and antique decorative furinishings for dining, the ambience could only be called a cultural hallmark or as close as is possible for this type of dining venue. Hidden away in a private tent my date and I were able to enjoy a pre-fixe 5 course meal for $55 not including drinks. It was easy to say that it was as sensational as it was diversified enough to send my palette in multiple and intense directions throughout the meal. From spicy to savory to sweet, all angles were covered and I implore you to see the attached dishes that I have selected as points of reference for this phenomenal value. As for the service, let it be said that I have never felt more attented to and believe me I really do pay attention to how the server carries him or herself as a heavy contributior to the overall experience. I do not know if he still works there, but the particular server (Matt) was one of the most attentive, genuine, informational, and all around entertaining server that I have come across. We had politely informed him at the beginning of the meal that we were in a little bit of rush since we had a show to go to and couldn't be late. He said, "not a problem" and took care of us all night. He kneeled down at the opposite side of our octoganal shaped antique tabletop and elegantly describe (in great detail) everything on the menu that we could choose from. I was very impressed on how prepared he was and how good his ability to make everything sound wonderful. Everything was timed perfectly, enough so that we had a quick and romantic meal but did not at all feel rushed or pressured to get through each course. In the end, I will always suggest to dine at a place like this mid-week to avoid the rush of the weekends (service is always better during the week), but I hope it would be the same Friday and Saturday as well and I also believe that they have belly-dancing on the weekend as well, which can be very entertaining and sexy.
I THINK IT'S CLOSED NOW...TOO BAD : (
Incredible dining experience. By the way, this has long moved to 1st avenue (58/59th). A distinctly less easily accessible location.
All the same, go here if you are into exotic Moroccan that you can enjoy in a tent with the prix-fixe menu. The charges rapidly add up as you innocuously sip several wines in succession to accompany your share of the world's couscous and indulging in the hookah!
The staff periodically bare open the tents for a view of the belly dancing. As with Layla (before Centrico replaced it), I have always wondered--why are the dancers all American. At any rate, I was busy chomping on the food to particularly notice or object to that continued pattern.
Uber-romantic.
+ food was great - the fish (branzino), hummus, and babaghanoush were excellent, everything else very good.
+ good service
+ really beautiful interior
+ great music
- the belly dancer and accompanying music can be a bit much at times.
- they weren't flexible with the vegetarian options
I would definitely go back. 5 stars for a delicious experience.
The sexiest dinner available anywhere in the city. I took my boyfriend here for his birthday and sat in the tents. If you sit in the tents, you must order the price fixe ($55 per person-5 courses). They close the veil to the tent and you are in your own little private piece of paradise.
We literally felt like we had traveled to a faraway place..the bellydancer was so much fun (we tipped her and she pulled me up to dance).
The food was good, hummus and dips were tasty (amazing pitas!). I ordered the Egyptian style crab cakes and my boyfriend ordered the Egyptian salad...both were great choices. The 3rd course is a soup, you have no other options, it was quite interesting (and we didn't like it)
Next (and our only issue with Casa la Femme) was I ordered the Filet (which you have to add $5 for) and the waiter came back and said they had run out!!! I was so sad, and there was no other steak on the price fixe menu...so the waiter said I could order a different steak off the a la carte menu, but it would cost $10 extra. We said that seemed a little ridiculous since it was their fault and the manager agreed, so that worked out (and the new steak was HUGE and tasty). My boyfriend ordered the prawns..also AMAZING.Dessert was a delicious piece of baklava.
I would recommend this restaurant if you are looking for something extremely romantic. They open the curtain for you to watch the bellydancer, but for everything else you are in privacy.
I am now completely obsessed with this place. Like my boyfriend said, "I feel like I am dreaming." That's the best way to sum up this place!
This isn't really a review just some info.
We tried to eat at Casa La Femme over Labor Day weekend but they were out of what we thought were very important items on the menu. We were not pleased that they waited until we already ordered drinks before telling us that they were out of everything. There was no fish and the half-free range chicken was being replaced by chicken kabab. Since we did not want to pay $55 for chicken kabobs on our anniversary, we paid for the drinks and left.
The ambiance is great though and eating in a tent isn't something you see often. We'll definitely try to go there again some other time (not a holiday weekend) because the menu looks great.
One word to the wise, if you sit in the tent you must order from the prix fix menu, $55 each, plus drinks. If you sit at a regular table, you can order a la carte. They won't tell you this beforehand and it's strikes me as sort of a sneaky bait-and-switch tactic but there you have it.
This place sucks cow udders.
I came here a few years back, reserved a table for my friends birthday. I had 8 people with me and when I arrived they were so accommodating - placing me and my party at one of the curtained tables.
Then they realized we weren't here for the prix fixe menu (their fault because they didn't ask, they assumed) and relieved us from our table and made us wait at the bar until a regular table was made available. Fair enough. So we waited. And waited. And waited some more. ONE HOUR later they finally seated us.
We ordered - I ordered the rabbit soup and what did I get? Some green mucus in a bowl. The food was horrible, the waitstaff was rude and the manager was non-existent.
I was mortified because this place had good reviews and my friend is Middle Eastern/African and I thought she would have appreciated it. Apparently the people who reviewed the place were deaf, dumb and spineless.
No wonder they were seized by the Marshall (see Paul Y.'s review)
Romantic, romantic, romantic.
The most romantic dinner I've ever had was taking my Phil here for his birthday a few years back. I received a tent because previous reviews elsewhere suggested it. We went on a Sunday evening so it was nice and quiet. There were a few folks at the bar having a good time. Overall I found the service to be outstanding. My husband was very overwhelmed by the special treatment. We both had the prixe fix. I had not had Moroccan food before but I love anything different and knew I would be in for a pleasant surprise. Two hours later (yes very leisurely meal) we left stuffed and quite satisfied. I don't know what nights they have dancing but we still mean to go back there and have a great time watching the 'show'. Everything is not for everyone. Just because you don't enjoy a venue makes it a bad one. There are some cultures that enjoy great music and dancing and this is one of them. If you want quiet then a nice old folks home cafeteria may be more your speed.
I came upon this restaurant as a result of "romantic restaurants in NYC" (my boyfriend and I were celebrating our 4th year together) research on google. I read MANY reviews about it online and looked at a few photos.
We made reservations (as suggested in every review) for 5:30 P.M. on a Friday night. For some reason, we could not make it on time. We called to ask if they can extend the waiting period and they agreed. That's one point for them since not many restaurant give you that long of a grace period (they gave us half an hour).
I find the location of the restaurant fit for its style. It's located near the QueensBoro Bridge where the number of pedestrians decrease as the number of the avenues lessen. That is why I think it's a perfect location- you don't really know whether it would be a pleasant experience or not.; very mysterious just like the restaurant.
My initial reaction as I stepped in was "I really like the mood." The decor was very chic. We were seated in one of their private tents which I am in love with. If you are the type of couple who loves talking in a secluded place- it really is perfect for you. There is this cushion to sit on and to lean back on. The tables were either pentagon or octagon in shape (it's made of wood). There was a candle lit in the center of the table. Also, there was a lantern hovering above our head. Romantic, yes it was.
We had both ordered the $55 prix fixe dinner which consisted of:
****First Course: Mazzas****
All served with pita points
Hummus pureed chickpeas with a touch of spicy harrisa
Babagonoush roasted and smoked eggplant with tahini and lemon juice
Fuul Medames pureed fava beans
****Second Course: Appetizers****
Peasant Salata Sweet grape tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, red onions carrots in a spicy citrus vinaigrette
Salata Gargeer Baby Arugula, watercress and mint salad with extra virgin olive oil and shaved gibnah romi (Egyptian hard cheese)
Salata Tamatem Sweet grape tomatoes with mashed gibnah domiatry (Egyptian cheese) chopped mint and extra virgin olive oil
Warak Enab Traditional Egyptian grape leaves with rice, dill parsley and coriander
Goulash Bil Gibnah Stuffed house made phyllo pastries with mushroom leeks, fresh herbs and gibnah domiaty
Tamaya Sauteed Egyptian dumpling of chickpeas, baby fava beans, coriander and parsley stuffed in house made bread with tahini and harrisa dressing
Crabmeat Kofta Egyptian style crab cakes of lump blue crab meat, shrimp, leeks and scallions
Felfel Mahschi Baked sweet bell pepper, stuffed with savory mixture of jasmine rice, fresh herbs and spices served over house made fresh tomato sauce
Sogo Grilled spiced beef sausage served with home made pita bread, zabadi and a tomato onion salad
****Third Course****
Molokhya A traditional hearty green leaf soup with roasted garlic and Egyptian rice.
****Fourth Course****
Fourth Course: Entrees
Firakh Mashwaya Half of a free range boneless chicken grilled and seasoned with sumac served over molokhya rice
Gambari Mashway Whole grilled prawns with sayadeya rice
Samek Mashway Grilled whole striped sea bass
Samek fil Forne Oven baked whole red snapper, with baby vegetables perfumed with fresh orange and coriander
add 5.00
Tagine Samek Oven steamed roulade of Talapia fillet, stuffed with peppers and caramelized onions served with homemade couscous
Lahma Mashway Grilled natural grass fed filet mignon with roasted garlic and grape tomatoes
add 5.00
Riash Mashway Grilled lamb chops with fetta
add 5.00
Tagine Khodar Hearty oven braised mlange of market vegetables with homemade couscous
****Fifth Course****
Egyptian Dessert Platter
The appetizer was amazing. I didn't even think I'd like it but I loved it. The pitas were really good (NOT dry at all). I was kind of overwhelmed trying to sip my rabbit broth soup but I made it through (it was sort of sticky and sweet but tangy). My chicken was oh so tender and rich in flavor. The only thing that kind of disappointed me was their "Egyptian Platter" (dessert). It sounds so nice like it's going to be a plate filled with goodies but it's a tiny plate with an ordinary cookie. You also have to try their cocktails. I had the guavatini (I love guava) and it was a nice cocktail (light but not too sweet).
The only thing is, you have to be really carefull with the tent because it can easily get caught on fire.
Overall, yes, I would come to this place again (mostly because I have never been there when the belly dancer performs).
I miss it's old location and feel (I mean who didn't like the fresh sod in the summer!!??) I've been to the new location twice.
First time was a party of 5 including out-of-towners ad it was a great experience. Second time was this month for a large company party. They were in WAY over their heads. I DO NOT recommend this place for parties of more than 6. Our party of 15 was too much for them to handle. Dinner began at 8 and at 11pm we were only on the 3rd course. Our out-of town coworkers are not used to eating this late and were STARVING!! It wasn't organized and although the food was tasty and the drinks plentiful -- it dragged on FOREVER! On a Friday night in NYC everyone had hoped to go some place afterwards, but when dinner took nearly 4 hours (most of the time waiting between small courses...)
Stick to this place for small groups.
The tents on the side are perfect for a romantic dinner for 2.
I have mixed feeling about Casa, its in the neighborhood, and surprisingly I don't end up here very often. It might be because I don't tend to go out in my boring midtown neighborhood and am always jumping in a cab or the underground and heading down to the LES. Anyways, Casa does have a cool atmosphere, belly dancers are a plus! They have Hookah which makes everyone nostalgic of their High School Days. The food is marginal, its not bad -- well presented just not excellent and a little overpriced for what you get. The problem with Casa is that I am A.D.D. and can only spend a few hours at a place like this. Once dinner is over, there is no where to go, and you can only drag dinner and drinks on for so long until everyone gets antsy. It's a cool dating spot but the boring location definitely takes a star away unless you have solidified your night. Great ambiance, it wont kill you to go for a date, if your planning on going home afterwards. (3.5 Stars)
Voted as one of the most romantic restaurants in the city, this appeared to be a unique place to take my boo, for his birthday. I made a reservation for our own private tent a week in advance, so you can imagine my dismay when we were seated at a table without a tent. I was told that the white fabric stretched above several tables was considered a tent, while watching others be seated in the canopy private tents all around us. The hostess, who apparently has the sad job of disappointing happy couples all night, said that our reservation doesn't guarantee a "private tent" and that we could wait an hour for one or be seated at this table, next to the bi-fold glass doors, which were wide open, blowing fall wind right on us. As soon as we were seated I told our waitress I was very cold and was assured they would close the doors. As I tried to warm up in my honey's vest, our server arrived and said he could not close the doors but would turn on the heater next to our table. At this point I was ready to leave and had been lied to twice by the hostess, when just in time our server went to bat for us, fought the restaurants bureaucracy, and closed the doors. So now we are really ready for a drink, so I am really glad we got a bottle of wine, as the water they provide was $8 a bottle, which you discover when your bill arrives. We did the pre-fix menu which is $55 for 5 courses (of course 2 of the courses we really a joke). All in all our entrees, wine and appetizers were good and our server was great, but we could have done without the hassles and disappointment.
this place gets barely one star. i was very dissapointed in this restaurant because their original location was my favorite hotspot. they moved and got a little too desperate when it came to entertaining.
i went last friday with some friends to celebrate my friend birthday. at first the place was great, with egyption music playing in the background and good waitress service. but then a crowd of about 10 people came and sat next to us. we later learned that they were also celebrating someone's birthday because they had a candle blown, etc etc.
this crowd was loud and obnoxious and annoying. they were getting drunk and started dancing !!! then whoever was in charged put merengue music on so that fired them up even more !!! wtf !!! merengue is not eygptian dammit. one of the men actually kicked my friends chair while dancing. i felt insulted, especially since the restaurant does not have a cabaret license.
to top it off, when someone complained, they started chanting " leave" in spanish.
i felt horrible for my friend since it was her bday and i really wanted to impress her with something different. we should've gone to rosa mexicano instead which was across the street..
never ever ever again will i visit this shithole.
I walked by last week, it seems to be closed down, as is the Tapas Lounge next door. Said it was "seized by the marshall"
