L'Ybane

Middle East meets modern Mediterranean
Popular plate: The mezze 'suggestion du chef' offers a taste of 10 or 15 carefully selected plates to share between two.

Tipple of choice: A champagne, mango and vodka-based concoction, L'Ybane's nominal cocktail goes down a little too easily.
Now taking on the mean streets of New York with his French-Mediterranean restaurant, chef Al Rineh has left the original Nice outpost of L'Ybane in the safe hands of his younger brother, who keeps the Middle Eastern influence thriving in his dishes.

Stylish, seductive and comforting decor accompanies dishes of the same ilk and lingering post meal is both expected and encouraged. The sampling of a strong aperitif should be a compulsory precursor to dinner, which features a wide range of mezze plates with tastes including eggplant caviar, piquant Lebanese sausages and beef-filled grilled pittas with a herby yogurt salad.