Profile

Meet Alexandra, girl next door. She's familiar, reliable, and cute; someone you could introduce to Mom. An eclectic group of locals, from building supers to the Saatchi set, have already come courting and it's easy to see why. She's a pint-sized, brick-lined space outfitted in feminine frills like tulips on the windowsill, dried flowers in tiny tabletop buckets, and bread baskets with long handles, like something Red Riding Hood might carry. Yet she's earthy, with a seasonal New American menu that emphasizes clean, traditional flavors along with her wholesomeness. Grilled shrimp dusted with paprika in a creamy, peppery romesco sauce come with green beans that taste just-picked; a white wine-infused roast chicken arrives with perfectly browned skin and moist meat; and in place of ground beef, a shepherd's pie contains smoky short ribs that taste as if they have been long-stewed with bacon. Desserts, like a particularly winning pineapple upside-down cake, make lingering worthwhile, even though the wait between courses can be lengthy. But Alexandra's fans don't blame her for not giving up the goods too soon. After all, she's just not that kind of girl. — Kathleen Squires

Roasted organic chicken, $22; pineapple upside-down cake, $7