French Hen, Tulsa

Wine and French cuisine go together like salt and pepper, but their pairing is a bit more complex than that. Fortunately, French Hen makes it easy. Glass-fronted racks filled with dozens of red and whites speak to the immense variety of potential culinary buddies that might keep a roasted lobster tail or USDA Prime steak company. Diners can either ask their server for recommendations to match any dish on the menu or attend special wine pairing dinners, where multiple courses feature their own expertly chosen Old World varietals. And in the tradition of fine French cooking, spirits pervade the dishes themselves. White wine infuses the sauce of the escargot, brandy adds a zip to the peppercorn cream drizzled over the signature grilled duck, and sherry colors the pasta beneath the seared diver scallops.

Such flavors build on the 30-year legacy that infuses every dim alcove, black-and-white tablecloth, and light-red wall within French Hen's dining room. But that legacy is too big to be so easily contained. It also spills out onto the outdoor patio, which Tulsa World's Scott Cherry noted for being "out of view from any street traffic." Amid that peace, single roses dot each table, echoing the colors that inspired Monet to paint water lilies when he was supposed to be lifeguarding.