(From December 2009) If that French heroine ate crepes like these before charging into battle, it’s no wonder she emerged victorious. For a savory crepe, we indulged in the Santa Fe, with chicken, cheddar cheese, avocado, sour cream, and a puckery lime/cilantro sauce. We felt like kids eating the strawberry-banana-Nutella crepe for dessert, with its snowy dusting of confectioner’s sugar. Black and white photos of Paris line the apricot walls. BYOB.

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(From May 2009) Provençal classics and a few Basque specialties populate the menu at this Rice Village newcomer, marked by a homey atmosphere and a French staff. Onion soup brimming with gooey cheese bested a chewy escargot appetizer, but both of our hefty, slow-cooked entrées—osso buco and boned short ribs—inspired smiles (and required doggie bags). A wedge of simple, creamy gâteau basque will sweeten any shopping break, and the $20 three-course Tuesday and Wednesday dinner special may be worth a spontaneous detour. BYOB.

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(From March 2009) What began as a renamed redo of Fredericksburg Road’s Bistro Time has morphed into something different, with a trendy bar, a sleek dining room, and lots of friendly front-of-house staff. New chef Jose Benitez trained with former chef/owner Sander Edmondson, but nothing from the former menu remains. Bold flavors piqued our interest—calamari with lemon pepper, ahi tuna with Dijon honey vinaigrette—but execution was lacking. The ahi was lovely but overpowered by the vinaigrette, and the calamari was almost undetectable beneath its breading, which tasted way too much like a commercial mix. That said, the room was full of seemingly happy diners, so perhaps we ordered the wrong thing. Bar.

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(From July 2009) Those on the near North Side have taken this bistro into their hearts. Start, perhaps, with a savory Brie and onion tart accompanied by a frisée salad, then move on to tender sautéed calf’s liver with a generous mass of onions and fried potatoes or maybe to veal tenderloin with a béchamel sauce. Vatel’s service and decor faithfully re-create the experience of eating in a modest restaurant in France. At $42, the three-course prix fixe menu is a good choice. Beer & wine.

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(From August 2009) The tablecloths are linen, the music classical, and the service comme il faut, but this new French spot is definitely not stuffy. Nor is the seafood-heavy menu, as conceived by classically trained chefs Didier Viriot and Gaspar Stantic. A thick slab of grilled ahi tuna on a bun was accented by an assertive wasabi aioli, and mixed greens with red onion, tomato, and orange practically sparkled under a lively citrus glaze. As for dessert, you’re not likely to find this on any other menu in our town: medjool date “cake” (kissing cousin to a pudding), topped with a brown sugar sauce, real whipped cream, and raspberries. We licked the plate clean. BYOB ($5 corkage fee).

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(From June 2009) For a refined yet congenial setting, there’s no place in San Antonio quite like Frederick’s. It’s not that the restaurant bans the under-thirty set, per se, but those who enjoy dining to a thumping backbeat may feel deprived here. French cuisine touched with Asian flavors (such as pork ribs with spiced soy sauce) takes up most of the seafood-heavy menu. We started with a creamy crab cake and flavorful oysters casino with bacon and peppers. Sea bass with shiitake mushrooms and artichoke hearts showed off an adroit blend of flavors, while the moist halibut with tomato coulis, risotto, and tender mussels was nigh perfect. Bar.

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(From February 2009) Here’s where the hospitality of West Texas joins forces with the flavors of New Orleans. Tasty crab cakes, jalapeño shrimp, and spicy filé gumbo left us wanting more. Fortunately there was plenty, includ-ing étouffée brimming with crawfish and po’boys generously stuffed with crunchy shrimp, as well as saucy chicken duxelles and juicy grilled pork chops. Warm bread pudding was sweet and sumptuous. BYOB.

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(From May 2009) Stepping into this dimly lit East Austin dive may seem like an act of faith, but in its few months on the scene, the welcoming, ultrahumble little room has amassed quite a following, serving classic cocktails like the Sazerac and a compact Old World menu. Though the chicken pâté proved bland, the delicious home-style chicken potpie came in a rich broth augmented with root vegetables and topped with a crisp puff pastry cap. Flammekueche, an Alsatian spin on pizza, came slathered with a near-jam of caramelized onions studded with bits of bacon and dabs of crème fraîche. It was excellent, though heavier on the onions and lighter on the crème than the Alsace version. A chocolate pot de crème infused with Earl Grey tea was every bit as smooth and flavorful as it sounds. Bar.

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(From December 2009) The bistro’s Web site, featuring a grainy black and white photo of semi-nude women in a bathtub, has generated a certain amount of tittering. But the food—from Chez Nous alums Pierre Pelegrin and Justine Gilcrease—is what’s enticing people to venture past the Cap Metro bus barn and wait for a table at this east side bungalow. Sipping kir royales and listening to old records, guests nibble on traditional French fare like house-cured meats and pâtés. Wafts of garlic announce the arrival of escargots. Steak frites, featuring a well-marbled ribeye with a creamy peppercorn sauce, is a big favorite, though it’s the silky crème brûlée you may want to bathe in. Laguiole cutlery and the constant pop of champagne corks make the chic crowd seem even chicer. Bar.

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(From October 2009) Southtown’s urban charm swirls around La Frite and its sidewalk tables, especially during a First Friday art walk (reserve ahead). Chef Damien Watel has a growing empire of intimate, European-influenced spots, and this one takes its mussels and paper cones of fries seriously. The salade de mer includes perfectly cooked fish and shellfish on a bed of beautiful greens (you can substitute grilled chicken). Servers are attentive, even when the cozy spot is overrun and the kitchen a bit slow. Beer & wine.

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