"Maxime Pradié cooks family renditions of rustic Provençal-leaning fare in the West Village. Start with an excellent salad, artichoke soup with foie gras, or pate with mustard, then move on to entrees like chicken with vegetable ragout or pork chops or a bowl of pasta with pesto and beans. It’s a tough seat to score, but you might have better luck on Mondays nights than the rest of the week. Take note that the quarters are tight and can get loud." - Melissa McCart