Bistro Citron

Description
This French addition to the otherwise unexceptional stretch of Columbus Avenue between 81st and 86th Streets does enough things well to make it stand out. Yes, it adheres to the bistro formula: Sidewalk café tables allow for the usual people-watching, and diners indoors are surrounded by distressed mirrors and vintage ads for food and booze. The menu follows suit, listing all the expected staples: escargots, steak tartare, foie gras, steak frites. But the tasty moules provençale are priced right at $12 ($15 if you add fries). The frites were all one could ask for: crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. If you’re in the mood for French classics, you could do a lot worse.