Pâtes et Traditions

Daisy-strung garden trellises and wrought-iron patio furtniture make this Williamsburg restaurant so French-country kitsch, its inspiration may have come straight from your high-school français textbook. Yet the southern French standards have a bit more depth than the decor: Penne topped with toasted walnuts, bacon, parsley and a sauce of cream and butter is rustic and rich. The “crêpe ocean” is a paper-thin buckwheat pancake folded around smoked salmon and mellow leeks. Dessert offers even more crêpes, this time piled high with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. All that delicious fat may make for a decadent meal, but it doesn’t elevate it from enjoyable to exquisite.