Bar Americain

Food Network behemoth Bobby Flay’s American brasserie hits the old showman stride here. Though the menu often speaks to the tastes of the tourists who stock the Rockwell-designed space, the kitchen does turn out the occasional gem. The bustling room, complete with deep banquettes and vaulted ceilings hung with massive orange lamps, is a fitting stage for the raw bar’s theatric dispatches, like sweet lobster meat given a vibrant jolt from avocado and sprigs of fresh chervil, and crabmeat that dallies with cubes of just-cut mango. Follow the kitchen’s lead and focus on the steaks: Caked in a spicy rub and seared to perfection, the meats make a fine foil to kicked-up sides like a cauliflower and goat-cheese gratin.