The hard surfaces reflect sound, and even at off hours the noise can be obtrusive. More tables, however, occupy the glassed-in room bordering the courtyard that separates the hotel from the retail area to the north. Even on a chilly late-autumn evening, the ambience is soothingly elegant. New chef Bob Conte has restored a lot of the excitement that has sometimes marked the Beau Nash menu. The list doesn't come off as pretentious, which is nice.
Simplicity is often the theme.
But the items are cooked with imagination and technical skill. The beautifully grilled shrimp have been drizzled with a lemony beurre blanc. Most, though, involve simple grilled items with intricate sauces or sides. A thin fillet of halibut, blackened but not to excess, lay on a hill of deliciously undercooked vegetables. On the side came a version of Creole sauce, like the New Orleans variety but subtler.