Avon Bistro (CLOSED)

Chef Kevin Cahill (Danal) struck out on his own to open this midtown bistro. Despite its generic name and bland location, Avon succeeds with a traditional brasserie menu enlivened by French and Italian accents. Featherlight pink-peppercorn gnocchi in garlicky pesto oozes with just the right amount of buffalo mozzarella, and a supertart preserved-lemon mignonette balances out a rich wild sockeye salmon entrée. As for dessert, it’s as top-notch as the attentive service: Don’t miss the rustic apple-almond tart.