Brasserie Royale

Winter can make it tempting to hunker down over a meaty stew like a boeuf bourguignon, and you can certainly find pleasure in the version served at this casually elegant French bistro. But our favorite cold-weather comfort here is the halibut, fortified with creamy mustard sauce, caramelized mushrooms, and ultra-buttery potatoes. Ally and Michael Stebner have fun with the classics—tuna tartare is done up as if it’s steak, with capers and cornichons; Brie is served crispy—but wisely, their kitchen doesn’t tinker with Julia Child’s recipe for onion soup.