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The dark, sexy vibe at this Chelsea brasserie is further enhanced by the young and eclectically stylish crowd, happy to be reminded of 1930s France: white mosaic tile floors, globe-shaped sconces, and dimly lit chandeliers, and a background of burnt-orange walls hung with vintage posters. Frank Sinatra or jazz standards croon in the background. You'll find no surprises on the menu of French classics—escargot, steak frites, poulet rôti, boeuf bourguignon—but portions are bigger than anything you'd find in France. The style is, naturally, uninhibited: hot, melted Emmenthal cheese envelops the bowl of onion soup and seeps thickly over the top; mussels, served in a deep, cast-iron pot, come immersed in creamy, garlic-infused white wine and tomato broth. Grilled hanger steak, thin medallions of tender beef, rests in a thick, dark, red wine sauce. If you plan on lingering over dessert, there are the usual to choose from, plus a bright and zingy lemon mousse tart with a drizzle of raspberry sauce. — Yael Kohen

Moules a la mariniere, $17.95; grilled hanger steak, $20.95; crevette Provençale, $18.95