While this boîte didn’t wow us when it opened last April, Carrie Nahabedian (Naha) stayed the course, and Brindille has matured into a destination for French cuisine in style and comfort. From soothing decor to tables covered with pressed damask, Brindille manages to feel swank yet unstuffy—exactly what Nahabedian wanted.

Hand-cut noodles with red-wine-braised snails and black trumpet mushrooms offers an earthy textural delight; char-crusted scallops with parsley-scallion purée dispels the notion of barely cooked scallops for all time. An intense Madeira reduction makes a filet mignon, the blandest of all steaks, stand up to the competition—exactly as Nahabedian promised.

The grown-up buzz and perfect lack of pretension here come at a fairly steep price, but Brindille’s soulful presentations and flavors leave you with no regrets.

Perfect for: Diners who long for the era before small plates, molecular gastronomy, and pop-ups