The New French (CLOSED)

With its hip, if disaffected, waitstaff and bare black walls, this not-very-French eatery feels much more East Village than West. The bold, eclectic food makes up for the spotty service. Chef Livio Velardo (Tabla, Resto) puts his own stamp on dishes like Texas pulled pork (beanless chili mixed with crisp flatbread croutons and doused in cool raita) and a rich and restorative Vietnamese pho, floating with hunks of brisket. The last course—including a banana-bread pudding—is almost as good as the first two.