"This vest-pocket restaurant with just 20 covers has been a hit since it opened, likely because the modern French bistro from chef Bruno Gensdarme is light, fresh, original, and affordably priced. Gensdarme formerly cooked at chef Guy Savoy's Bistro de l'Etoile in Paris, and this background explains the suave sophistication and precision of dishes like creamy lentils with shrimp, cod brandade with wild arugula salad, sea bass with ginger-spiked carrot puree, and chocolate cake with cherries. The chef's market-driven menu follows the seasons and uses local ingredients whenever possible. It boasts gracious service and a good, fairly priced wine list, too. [$$]" - Lane Nieset, Alexander Lobrano