Posted on April 15, 2008 at 4:59 p.m.

Food: 3/5  Vibe: 4/5  Service: 4/5  Value: 3/5  Overall: 4/5

On the basis of the bleu cheese teaser posted above, I ate here for lunch today. Naturally, I ordered the Blue D'Auvergne to try it out. Delicious.

Also, the venue lived up to my best expectations for a tony French joint by taking one look at my scruffy clothing (non-designer jeans and touristy NYPD t-shirt) and treating me like the second- or third-class citizen I truly am, positioning me cleverly in a far-removed corner at the French bistro equivalent of a counter. Bravo - if I were running this place I wouldn't have treated me any differently.

Aside from the seating arrangement, the service was really quite good and the waiter solicitous without being even remotely supercilious. Since the waiter forgot to enter our order for the dessert apple tart before bringing us the check (oops!) - and the tart was already in the oven (wow, that sounds so open to employment as double entendre that I'm sad to say I mean it literally) - the chef ended up handing it over to us - no charge - to take out.

Cool decor, too - complete with a faux birch forest interior and a chandelier patched together from wine bottles. (Empty ones, thankfully.)

On Rise nº1

Posted on March 4, 2007 at 11:40 a.m.

Food: 4/5  Vibe: 4/5  Service: 3/5  Value: 4/5  Overall: 4/5

Well, it's about time I commented on this outstanding establishment - I eat breakfast here at least once a week (I discovered it when Barbec's was closed for remodeling a couple of years ago), and the Cheesy Omelette will redefine your concept of what an omelette can do for your taste buds.

Gabriela is a charming hostess, and the atmosphere is relaxed and casual (two of my favorite adjectives).

I should add that lunch and dinner are served in addition to breakfast, but I hardly ever get there in the afternoon/evening so I'll leave that for someone else's commentary.

The bills of fare are weighted toward a south of the border influence (as far south as Peru), with allowances made on the menu for wimpy vegetarians, but with plenty of choices of solid meaty goodness for those of us who embrace our omnivorous natures.

Gabriela and staff also do catering.

Hey, I'm not a restaurant reviewer, but I know good food when I wolf it down, and this is it.

On Cafe Lago