Jacques Brasserie

The dining room’s old-world details are gorgeous, and the service is welcoming. The kitchen produces some quirky creations: A tart lemon sauce complements savory foie gras; a thin bed of lasagna supports a colorful medley of shrimp, asparagus, sweet peppers and fresh sage; but fruity duck à l’orange and garlicky prune gnocchi were an odd couple. Dishes win points for artistic presentation and imaginative combinations, but the ingredients rarely added up to more than the sum of their parts. A fluffy chocolate soufflé and an inspired tarte Tatin stuck to tradition with fantastic results.