Zereoué (CLOSED)

Owned by former NFL player Amos Zereoué, this bistro with elegant African art and potted African plants serves up fine French fare (like mussels or steak au poivre) as well as equally stylish dishes from his native Ivory Coast. Stews dominate the latter, among them a hearty aubergine au poisson that could use more of the promised eggplant and kedjenou, a spicy chicken stew that comes an earthenware pot and can be soaked up in a side of attineke. Happy hour draws a chic (for midtown) crowd, who particularly enjoy jazz on Thursdays.