red/bar brasserie

This had been the site of Balzarini's, an old-fashioned Italian spot: 1923-1998. A neon sign from Balzarini's is the source of the new name. That's where similarities end.

The dining rooms showcase the clientele as much as the meal. It's a fashion show of the basic black and imperially slim. You might wonder what they actually eat.

Over the years, some satisfying choices have been the salad of arugula, oranges, fennel, and Parmesan cheese; a braised pork shank; sauteed snapper with artichoke puree; an excellent rack of lamb, finished with a pine-nut crust; roast duck with mango-ginger sauce; pan-roasted chicken; and a grilled strip steak with arugula and pommes frites.

Baked halibut with caramelized fennel and salmon with beets are among the big swimmers.

Sweets may be led by tropical fruit sorbets and fruit tarts, and profiteroles that you assume none of the regulars consume. Pity them.

Peter M. Gianotti