Sel et Gras

French revolution meets punk rock at this outré West Village wine bar, where renderings of Napoleon Bonaparte cover wacky graffiti tags and ceiling constellations hover above a splashy Spanish tile floor; the small plates, nontraditional interpretations of Gallic classics, sate salt-and-fat cravings without breaking the bank.

Set in a space that long housed a pizza-by-the-slice place, this unpretentious French eatery in the West Village is casual and affordable. The menu is short with small plates and snacks and mostly features Gallic comfort food. Smoked chicken croquettes go down easy but at the same time are underwhelming. Duck rillette, a confit to be spread on toast, leaves a similar impression. The best...

Trendy spot bucks stodgy, traditional French dining. Painted tile floors and brick graffiti-covered walls, plus ironic Napoleon and Marie Antoinette iconography, give plenty of life to a tight corner space. French pop music adds to the ambiance. Menu offers tapas-style dishes: stuffed pig's foot with watercress, garlic-red wine sausage, steak tartare. Daily selection of fromages complements...

Sel et Gras is French for Salt and Fat which is the first indication that this isn’t your typical French restaurant. Sel et Gras is here to buck the system, making you surrender all of your preconceived notions with stuffy French food, and roll up your sleeves for some bold and flavorful dishes