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10, Oh So French, Eateries

By Linda Perney | NYNewsday.com

10:49 AM EST, January 30, 2004

The city's restaurants can take you to the heart of France, be it Provence, Paris, or in between.

MANHATTAN

Nice Matin. It's just on the Upper West Side, but one taste of the sunny Mediterranean menu, and you might as well be in the city the place is named for. It opens at 7:30 in the morning, so if it's croissants and cafe you want, you can get them. The rest of the day is busy -- but the staff is organized and the food from a leg of lamb wrapped in rosemary to a Moroccan-style salmon -- makes it all worth a wait. (212-873-6423; 201 West 79th Street)

Artisanal. Terrence Brennan brought the notion of artisanal cheesemaking to Midtown with this place, and our palates have never been so well educated. The room is simple and cheerful, busy at lunchtime. Who can resist the gougeres to start with? What self-respecting group would pass up the gooey fondue? And who can ignore the house's take on mac-and-cheese? (2 Park Avenue; 212-725-8585)

Balthazar. It's not as buzzy as it was when it opened five years ago, but Keith McNally's Paris is as seductive as ever, and the menu doesn't disappoint, either. This has become a haven at breakfast time, and it still draws plenty of beautiful people to the zinc bar for cocktails. And the seafood tower is as fabulous as it ever was. (80 Spring Street; 212-965-1414)

French Roast. As the name implies, you can settle down for a coffee among the wicker chairs and French posters, but in the evenings, meals get more substantial, with specialties like steak-frites and roast chicken. Both branches are always crowded and noisy but they're open all night, which makes them a good choice after a night on the town. (2340 Broadway; 212-799-1533. 78 West 11th Street; 212-533-2233)

L'Acajou. Tucked away on West 19th Street, this sliver of a place is serving up Alsatian cooking that is perfectly suited to a winter like this. Given the number of publishers in the neighborhood, the lunchtime crowd is predictable; evenings, the place livens up a bit, and the crowd chows down on regional specialties. (53 West 19th Street; 212-645-1706)

BROOKLYN

Café LuluC. Never mind the odd spelling. LuluC was originally Lulu, until someone with a restaurant of the same name complained, so the owners added the C. You'll get substantial French fare here, starting at 7:30 in the morning. But the place younger sibling of the more formal Café Banania across the street puts a spin on things by adding a Cuban accent to the menu. (214 Smith Street; 718-625-3815)

A Table. Classic French cooking doesn't get much more classic than it does in this friendly Fort Greene bistro. The surroundings are countrified, with stucco walls, and the winter menu includes a fortifying risotto and a satisfying brandade de morue. (171 Lafayette Avenue; 718-935-9121)

QUEENS

Restaurant 718. Astoria gets ever more trendy, and this restaurant, which carries hints of Spain on its menu as well as classic French cooking, is drawing plenty of buzz. There are steak-frites, bien sur, but a recent special of striped bass paired up with scallops and a broccoli puree was a welcome idea on a wintry night. (35-01 Ditmars Boulevard, Astoria; 718-204-5553)

Tournesol. Long Island City's friendly French bistro serves up satisfying French country standards like coq au vin, and, particularly inspired this winter, a traditional cassoulet that sticks to the ribs. The dining room is a little crowded, and it can get noisy, but that doesn't seem to bother anyone. (50-12 Vernon Boulevard; 718-472-4355)

THE BRONX

Le Refuge. If nothing but a real getaway will satisfy you, there's always Le Refuge, up in City Island, where you can relax over a leisurely dinner near the fireplace, then check into one of the rooms, some of which have views over the Sound ($150-$210). The menu includes specialties like duck with orange or bouillabaisse. (620 City Island Avenue; 718-885-2478)