L’Express
GO HERE: for a pitch-perfect meal, served with a gratis giant jar of cornichons. That’s right—unlimited cornichons! L’Express has been open since 1980; this place knows what it’s doing and it does it well.
ORDER THE: steak tartare, a no-frills version that’s minced finely and served with (not quite enough) toast. Then get whatever the slightly gruff waiter recommends.
THE VIBE IS: sparse but not without character—black-and-white tile floors, the occasional palm tree, and somewhat dim lighting except for the courtyard area in the back. The waiters are most definitely wearing vests. This is the kind of place where you mean to get one cocktail but end up staying for a bottle of wine.
PRACTICAL STUFF: Open every day: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 3 a.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 a.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. So yeah, about that bottle of wine...
—Carey Polis
