Rue 57

Serving steak tartare alongside tuna tataki, Rue 57 risks a culinary identity crisis. But the spacious flower-decked dining room has a pleasing Parisian look, and the red leather banquettes are often full (mostly with midtown expensers and tourists). Spotty acoustics make intimate conversation impossible, so concentrate on soaking up the scene—and the food. The black mission fig turnover atop prosciutto and Gorgonzola proves to be a happy marriage of savory and sweet. Sushi rolls and platters are hefty, but it’s hard to taste the fish because of the dizzying array of components. The quality of the oysters is easier to assess, and coupled with a martini, they’re a marvelous way to cap a day in the park.