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Getting Gallic

Compiled by Linda Perney

Can-can dancers Ann Voltaw, left, Hollie Seidel, center and Laura Bovenkerk leap together while performing for passersby during Bastille Day festivities, Thursday, July 14, 2005, in front of Les Halles restaurant in New York's Lower Manhattan. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

So, you haven't gotten to France this summer. Make the best of things with a Gallic dinner -- or, for that matter, breakfast -- in the city. Here are some of our favorite Frenchified places, all over town

Brasserie Les Halles. Breakfast at Les Halles on Park Avenue South is a mighty fine way to start a workday. Crepes with Nutella, maybe, or pain aux raisins. If you're feeling hungrier, there's always steak and eggs. For lunch, specialties include the tartiflette (a potato and cheese dish) served with salad; dinner there are steaks, particularly the steak au poivre; another good bet are the scallops in champagne sauce. The kitchen is open till midnight all week, and the staff is part of the charm of the place. Outdoor seating, too. (411 Park Avenue South; 212-679-4111; www.leshalles.net)

Provence. A pretty garden and a great menu make this a good choice for a Gallic dinner a deux. The traditional aioli is hard to find elsewhere, the bouillabaisse is a welcome choice, and the patio is a lovely place on a warm summer night. (38 Macdougal Street; 212-475-7500)

Triomphe. The seasonal menu in this small restaurant offers main courses like baked shrimp stuffed with oysters and crab, pork chops with roasted asparagus, and roast chicken. They're open for breakfast during the week, and its proximity to the theater district makes it a good place to stop for dinner after the show. (49 West 44th Street; 212-453-4233; www.triomphe-newyork.com )

Village. Stephen Lyle, who made his name with Tribeca's perennial favorite, Odeon, has opened Village, and it deserves the same kind of iconic status. The 1920s-style bar is classic New York ; the high-ceilinged dining room is airy and skylit. The dinner menu includes appetizers like tuna tartare and a pan roast of oysters; main courses include roast chicken, steak au poivre, and roasted salmon. In the cafe, there's a killer sandwich made with bacon and fontina cheese. Best of all, they're open late -- till midnight on weekends. 62 West 9th Street; 212-505-3355; villagerestaurant.com

Bistro du Vent Yet another production from Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali, Bistro du Vent takes a casual attitude to French cooking. Daube de boeuf, roast cod, sauteed calf's liver, steak frites, and roast chicken -- they're all here, served up in a busy, buzzy restaurant smack in the theater district. They're open for lunch and dinner, and they stay open till midnight every day except Monday. (411 West 42nd Street; 212-239-3060)

BROOKLYN

Bouillabaisse 126. Before Atlantic Avenue was Atlantic Avenue, Neil Ganic was running La Bouillabaisse, and getting raves from the locals. Now, he's opened a new place, this time way over near Columbia Street, and has faithfully brought the signature dish with him. In addition, there is a seafood combo in a spicy tomato broth, and for those who want meat, there's usually pork tenderloin bordelaise. (126 Union Street; 718-855-4405 bouillabaisse126.com)

Ici. You may think you recognize the owner, and if you followed the ups and downs at Rocco's a few seasons back, you probably do. He was the arrogant general manager everyone loved to hate. But Laurent Saillard has eased up since he opened this lovely French restaurant in Fort Greene. They're open for breakfast (think poached eggs with truffle dressing or French toast with roasted bananas), lunch (skate with brown butter; watercress-tomato-mackerel salad), and dinner (steak with roasted potatoes; roast chicken with couscous). To make it all perfect, there's even a garden. (246 Dekalb Avenue; Sunday & Tuesday-Thursday ,8AM-10PM; Friday & Saturday 8AM-11PM; 718-789-2778 icirestaurant.com

Bistro St. Marks. Yes, we know it's been around for awhile, but it's one of our favorite places. The menu here changes every night, but the shrimp and asparagus risotto is worth going out of your way for. Most evenings, the place gets crowded, and service can be a little overwhelmed. But those are quibbles; the food here is so good, you can overlook a few glitches. (76 St. Mark's Avenue; 718-857-8600)

Robin des Bois. If it's a break you need, weekend brunch in the funky garden here is as welcome as a day in the country. You can settle at a table and relax over smoked salmon and cream cheese, a slice of quiche, or baked eggs with cheese and ham. Bring the newspaper along (everybody else does), and no one will bother you, no matter how long you linger. They also serve dinner (pork loin with polenta; couscous; or the special charcuterie plate with a good selection of cheeses). But nothing beats the brunch. (195 Smith Street; 718-596-1609; sherwoodcafe.com

QUEENS

718 Restaurant. Astoria gets ever more trendy, and this restaurant, which carries hints of Spain on its menu as well as classic French cooking, has drawn plenty of buzz. There are steak frites, bien sur, but there's also duck with corn puree and black truffle mole sauce, or roast chicken among the main courses. The crowd is drawn from the neighborhood, which means it's on the youngish side, and stylish. (35-01 Ditmars Boulevard, Astoria; 718-204-5553)