Juliette

Bearing all the hallmarks of the nouveau bistro—rust-dappled mirrors, tiny tables, insanely good looking diners, a noise level that exceeds a racket —Juliette still manages a few pleasant surprises. The wine list is crammed with bargains (many solid bottles hit the $25 mark), and the kitchen pulls off some pretty neat tricks, too. Seared Cape Cod squid marries fruity-sweet with citrusy-tart, by way of jalapeño and watermelon; steak au poivre showcases the kick of superfresh pink, green and black peppercorns with a knockout veal reduction. But best of all, in warm weather a pretty roofdeck means you can escape the bistro—if you want.