Fluke barely holds its own against blood-orange vinaigrette with mint. Veal tongue in a bright Basque-style relish seems a little showy. It's one of those meat textures, strangely velvety, that summon up a primitive, guilty reaction. I want to eat it again. When no one's looking.
Town takes an unusual turn between the main courses and desserts.
In a recasting of the traditional cheese course, Mr. Zakarian asked his pastry chef, Nancy Kershner, to invent a complementary side dish for each of a half-dozen cheeses. Ms. Kershner's dessert list is strong. Two deserve special mention, one because it's a showstopper, the other because it sounds so modest that most diners will read right past it. The showstopper, with a strong New Orleans accent, starts with a basket of sugar-powdered beignets filled with molten chocolate. Then comes a perfect frozen dome with a matte-brown cocoa surface.