Bistro Chat Noir

This snug, intimate Upper East Side French bistro—around the corner from neighborhood staple La Goulue—manages to keep pace with that Gallic stalwart. Warm, natural light fills the dining room despite its location in a brownstone basement, and the breezy service and subdued clientele make the place feel like a low-key adjunct to its scene-heavy sibling. The menu pushes familiar Francophile fare: Tuna tartare is given a creamy kick via a dose of crème fraîche, and the steak frites comes with a béarnaise sauce so delicious, you might want to eat it with a spoon.