This chic little boite sates the French culinary longings of the sophisticated set.

The Scene
Located on an unprepossessing SoMa block, this French favorite is a destination of the gastronomic elite. The understated room is done up in minimalist taupe tones, with dim lighting enhancing the air of romance. A charming waitstaff maneuvers deftly among the tight tables, ensuring everything is just so.

The Food
The name translates roughly to ''pang of hunger,'' but it's hard to leave less than blissfully satiated by the Basque-influenced fare. A frisee salad, wilting deliciously from its warm bacon dressing and poached egg, eats like a meal, while a mound of calamari has a garlicky, cayenne-spiced sauce and strips of the famous sweet pimento of Espelette. A classic, memorable entree of rosy rack of lamb is exceptionally tender and the accompanying potato gratin oozes creamy goodness. Duck leg confit, with its decadent crackly-crisp fat and bed of earthy, savory lentils with pearl onions and bacon, possesses a cassoulet-like richness.