Cafe Wa s

Randi Schmelzer

Citysearch

In Short
Hidden behind Borders bookstore--and right next to seafood favorite Hungry Cat--at the Sunset + Vine plaza may seem like an odd place for an upscale, continental supper club. But the venue made an ideal blank canvas for social-scene trendsetter Ivan Kane (Forty Deuce, Deep), who transformed it into a bi-level boho-chic fantasyland. With its eccentrically papered and exposed-brick walls, antique mirrors, and a dead-end Victorian staircase, the restaurant is a maze of secluded dining nooks. (The main seating area surrounds a revolving grand piano.) Though there's plenty to choose from, food is, unfortunately, an afterthought. Typical French fare in small portions includes starters like fois gras, caviar and garlic-butter escargots; entree highlights are steak frites, duck-leg confit and sole meuniere, while a tasty gratin de macaroni (translation: mac 'n' cheese) can be ordered as a side. That's okay, though. Cliche as it may sound, the real feast here is strictly for the eyes.