Blue Hill dispensed with all the flash that dominates the current scene, and still got my attention; the equally subdued Tocqueville is a labor of love.

Charlie Palmer's new spot, Kitchen 22, may lack the elaborate artistry of Aureole, but with a well-crafted -- and recessionproof -- menu, consider it a holiday gift to yourself.

Bond 45’s family-style cooking and service evoke Italian restaurants past.

City Bakery 3 West 18th Street (212-366-1414). Open 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; dinner, beginning shortly, will be served 6 to 11 p.m. Appetizers, $6 to $11; entrées, $9 to $20. All major credit cards.

Bouillabaisse 126 brings bistro charm, and a fine fish stew, to Union Street.

Rolando Beramendi's Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village Bellavitae isn’t especially glamorous or inventive. Which is precisely the beauty of it.

Lights, camera, dissatisfaction! If you found Rocco’s reality show frantic, you may find the real “Restaurant” over (and under) whelming.

A pair of Gramercy Tavern and Craft alums bring a helping of professionalism to the East Village. Who cares if the locals don’t eat there?

Jewel Bako
239 East 5th Street (212-979-1012).

At BLT Steak, former seafood master Laurent Tourondel of Cello switches from surf to turf.