La Grenouille

Old-school in all the right ways, La Grenouille is an institution that has outlasted real estate shifts, economic collapses and the birth of so-called "high-low" cuisine. But, hey: plus les choses changent, plus elles restent les mêmes. Since 1962, generations of the Masson family have served classic French haute cuisine such as frog legs Provencal, grilled sole with mustard sauce and endive salad with pears, walnuts and Roquefort. The traditional French fare is accompanied by more modern dishes like zucchini blossoms in ravigote sauce, a 40-bottle wine cellar heavy on Bruts and Grand Crus, and, of course, flowers. Lots of flowers. The minuscule dining room is punctuated by enormous bouquets that demand attention – tastefully, of course.