Startle

Bearing the name of the famed French chef and a part of his many restaurants, Adour Alain Ducasse in the St. Regis New York serves up contemporary French fare in an intimate setting. Five other things you should know about the New York restaurant are:

1. The bar is very small, with only four seats, and a small table right behind the bar with two chairs. The busyness of the bar just depends on the day and whether or not there are any events going on, but arriving earlier on a weekend, (about 6 p.m.), may up your chances of getting a seat at the bar. Since the area is so slight though, you’ll want to avoid any large group gatherings here.

2. The intimate restaurant was designed by architect David Rockwell of the Rockwell Group, who was responsible for such projects as the newly revamped, sleek Jet Blue Airways terminal at New York’s John F. Kennedy airport, as well as other restaurants like Nobu, the Japanese fusion restaurant helmed by chef Nobu Matsuhisa.

3. If you sit at the bar, try using the interactive wine list, which projects the menu onto the bar counter from a device on the ceiling. You can then scroll through to find wines and pull up tasting notes by hovering your hand over arrows that appear on the counter. Ask the bartender or server for tips on using the device, which has been usable since the restaurant first opened.

4. Since the New York restaurant is part of the St. Regis, it may be confusing getting to Adour when you first walk in the hotel. Look for a large rectangular panel with the letters "Adour" in large script. It is located next to the open Astor Court area, where the hotel serves its afternoon tea.

5. Known for their macaroons and desserts, don’t leave without a taste of at least the petit fours, if you’re too full to enjoy a full-sized order. You can also ask to box your petit fours to take home to indulge later.