I’m torn on whether Benoit, the New York bistro outpost of the Ducasse empire, belongs on the Eater 38.  On one hand, the food is not head and shoulders above the French bistro fare you can get elsewhere. It’s still pretty good; the cassoulet is fatty and earthy and soaked with gravy and the hangar steak is succulent (but its steak frites are pretty average).  The rillettes and pied de cochon are good, though not earth-shattering like you would find at other venues specializing in offal.  But what really sets Benoit apart is the atmosphere.  It’s in Midtown, so it draws an inordinate share of out-of-towners, but these people are returning to CDG and not CHO.  The waitstaff are the passive-aggressive Frenchmen you’d expect; doting when they take the time to notice you.  And the restaurant itself looks like it was plunked down from Paris.  It’s airier than most of the other bistros downtown where you barely have room to move.  It’s more relaxed, more easy, more wont to give you 2 hours to savor your meal and catch up with some old friends.  Maybe it’s not worth a spot on the Eater 38, but I can think of worse ways to spend an evening.

Remaining: Barbarini Alimentari, Takashi, Kin Shop, Momofuku Noodle Bar, Ippudo, Maialino, John Dory Oyster Bar, Marea, Boulud Sud, Donguri, Bamonte’s, Frankies 457, Lucali, Franny’s The Good Fork, Vinegar Hill House, Jackson Diner