Jacques

Attentive service and tasty North African food make Jacques an excellent alternative to the perpetually jammed Cafe Gitane just a block away. The spicy lamb meatballs, jumbo shrimp with zesty couscous, and rich mushroom fricassee each possess an abundance of assertive flavors, thanks to North African spices and that dependable taste enhancer—butter. In model-strewn Nolita, that’s a culinary move bordering on daring.