A.O.C. - Bleecker St., New York

Head chef Romain Bonnans brings his family's recipes to A.O.C., his own slice of France in the West Village. Bonnans lends his authentic touch to recipes both classic and contemporary, from niçoise salad with fresh tuna and string beans to coq au vin, a red-wine chicken stew. Guests dine amid exposed brick, wrought-iron accents, and French-inspired artwork in the main dining room, or fancy themselves at an outdoor Parisian café while in the seasonal garden. There, flower boxes and climbing vines hang on the white latticework of a surrounding wall that effectively cuts diners off from the outside world and gives them free, unabashed rein to try holding their fork in their other hand.