A celebrated chef puts a fun, French twist on the modern American steakhouse.

The Scene
With its long zinc bar, plush couches and patterned suede walls, the lounge is a swank spot for midtown's cocktail crowd. But dip around the corner, into a clamorous room of curvy booths and glossy tables, and all pretensions disappear. Servers parade heaping bowls of shoestring fries and tall stacks of onion rings. Here, people have fun with their food.

The Food
Laurent Tourondel fuses an American steakhouse menu with French bistro sensibility and charm. The gorgeous (and gratis) cheese popovers are best followed by ham-stocked clam chowder, or signature BLTs oozing with foie gras, apple-smoked bacon and roasted tomatoes. Entrees are elemental: Choose herb-crusted, grassy lamb, seared American Kobe flatiron steak or buttery Dover sole, then select your sauce (three-mustard and horseradish cream stand out). Sides, from creamy spinach to sauteed wild mushrooms, are stellar. For dessert, the tangy, fluffy lemon meringue is not to be missed.