Celeb chef Alain Ducasse is behind this old-school bistro, which means that the service is flawless, the atmosphere (with its burnished wood walls and velvet banquettes) tres Gallic, and the food is, for the most part, parfait. Benoit doesn’t try to be creative, but that’s part of the charm of eating here: What’s served is a paradigm of classic French cuisine. The cheese soufflé is an old-fashioned high-calorie treat (it’s an appetizer), the French onion soup is one of the best in the city, and the roasted chicken can’t be improved upon (it’s simple and utterly delicious).