Balthazar Bakery   

When Keith McNally's fin de siecle bistro opened in 1997, the scrum for reservations was about as well-mannered as the Oklahoma land rush. Now it's possible for an ordinary citizen to request a table a mere 30 days before dining, and Balthazar is just another very good downtown restaurant, distinguished less by its celebrity patronage than by the gargantuan plateau de fruits de mer -- a mess of Littleneck clams, crabs, oysters, shrimp and lobster available in two sizes: le grand and le Balthazar. The presentation is as astounding as the price is objectionable. This is the exception -- by and large the menu is well in line with what you'd expect from a downtown bistro, as are the prices. The space -- brass fixtures, red banquettes, pre-distressed tile floor -- is as handsome and welcoming as a leather club chair. Stop in for a particularly spectacular breakfast, but make it early if you want to snag a seat. -- Adam Mazmanian