The Phantom's Suggestions

Hello Phantom,
Big fan of your show!
A question for you?...
I am in charge of putting together my family dinner for the holiday season (around December 16th - 23rd)... We will have 25 people in attendance for the dinner (ages range from 30 to 70).
We have 1/3 of the people coming from Cape Cod, 1/3 coming from Worcester, the last 1/3 are from the Boston area...
In years past we have gone to the following restaurants..
1998 - Morton's
1999 - Capital Grille
2000 - Grille 23
2001 - The Palm
2002 - Lucianos
2003 - Flemming's
2004 - Smith & Wollinski's

As you can see it has been a steak house dominated theme... We certainly love steak but don't necessarily have to have it...
I am looking for something that has ambiance, great food, the ability to accommodate 25 people, and a place that will make people say "wow"...

Can you help?

We would be willing to go anywhere in and around the Boston / Worcester / Cape locations...

Thanks for your time,
C

C,

What a fun tradition! Here are some of my suggestions, all of which you can read more about on my site:

No. 9 Park (fine Italian/French)
Locke Ober (old school, very traditional, New England fare, several private rooms)
Upstairs on the Square (very fun and striking - quirky yet extravagant, fine food)
Taranta (incredible Italian-Peruvian cuisine - one of my favorites in the North End)
Lucca (my other North End favorite - incredible Tuscan food, with a wine room downstairs you could probably take over)
The Federalist (one of best wine lists in town - they have an unbelievable private wine cellar you can dine in - pictures on their website)
Great Bay (fine seafood, striking room, fun and modern)
Les Zygomates (French wine bar - this is more casual, but they have live jazz/blue every night, and the food is great - there's a private room too)
The Metropolitan Club (one of the hottest new steakhouses "in town", actually in Chestnut Hill)
The Red Lion Inn - Cohasset (south shore, New England comfort food in a very charming-country setting)

Hope that helps! Have a great holiday!
The Phantom Gourmet

http://PhantomGourmet.com

The MYSTERIOUS Restaurant Critic