Spinning off the two-decade tenured French bistro charm of Kiki's Bistro, former manager Simo Yaacobi crows his own ode to his native nation's proverbial coq with a family-assembled crew and a homey tasseled lamp and tearoom-sized BYOB a block away from his Lincoln Square upbringing.

If the soupe a l'oignon gratinee bares a bubbly gruyere and sleeper sweet onion resemblance to the classic hit of Yaacobi's previous day job, don't feel cheated. It's just the sous-chef recalling a similar tenure at Kiki's, one of the largest regular and local chef hangs in the city.

The replica factor will creep up again in a peppercorn sear on the breast and leg confit canard, save for some lentils instead of Kiki's wild rice base. And frankly, the Kiki's vibe is felt in a lot of other things. Though everything Rendezvous true will hit you swimmingly at once, from deeper dives into Provence with daily salmon and poisson specials to Yaacobi's nephew on the pastry line and not a single dish over $20.

Average cost: $10-$20

Centerstage Reviewer: Gavin Paul