Balthazar

If you don’t know what all the hype surrounding Balthazar is about, you most certainly should. Keith McNally’s super fabulous, NYC replica of a Parisian brasserie, Balthazar, is one of those rare spots that actually deserves the buzz. From the crowds of hotties at the bar, to the stunning folks that squeeze into the restaurant’s tiny tables (you’ll be seated as close to a stranger as is possible without becoming intimate), Balthazar is a dazzling, dizzying, wonderfully chaotic destination that sports a perfect menu of delicious brasserie standards like frisee au lardoons, pan bagnat, steak frites, and a glistening raw bar built for royalty, not to mention the fresh baked bread from the Balthazar bakery next door. Be sure to pick up a bag of croissants, a couple of baguettes, and a dozen tarts on your way out for breakfast or lunch (or a midnight snack). Balthazar is fun, and loud, and in its own electric way, flawless.

Balthazar, 80 Spring, b/w Crosby & B'way, 212-965-1414

REPRINTED FROM THE MOBIL TRAVEL GUIDE

Andrea Strong