Great American Bites: Hearty French fare in NYC

• France's "sans culottes," or those "without fancy pants," were the Revolution's blue-collar guard
• The eatery opened in 1976 and remains a neighborhood joint, supported by locals and tourists
• The menu concept at Les San Culottes is simple: you get a fixed-price, three-course dinner for $25

The scene: Whenever people I know go to Paris, they always ask me the same thing: "What is a traditional neighborhood bistro where I can eat classic French dishes in a casual atmosphere without spending an arm and a leg or being treated like a tourist." This is a question that has not only eluded me, but every other food writer I know - it is an almost mythical pursuit. But while I don't know the answer in Paris, I know just such a place in New York: Les Sans Culottes.

The restaurant opened in 1976, yet even most New Yorkers I know have never heard of it. It remains a resolutely neighborhood joint that captures locals, in-the-know diners from throughout the city, couples on dates and a surprising number of tourists, considering I have never seen it in any guidebook and it doesn't even make the pages of the Zagat Survey, despite being among just a handful of city eateries that have survived so long. I grew up in New York and first ate there over 20 years ago and frankly was surprised to learn it was still in business, so I hurried over. It is almost impossible to make it for four decades in New York without a killer tourist location or worldwide acclaim, yet Les Sans Culottes just keeps plugging along, which means it is doing something right.

The restaurant takes its name from the French Revolution, where the "sans culottes," essentially those "without fancy pants," were the blue collar left-wing guard of the revolution. The attitude, pricing and cuisine reflect this working class reference. Located in the middle of a low-key block near the Roosevelt Island tram station on the lower part of the Upper East Side, it is small and non-descript, with a bistro-like glass storefront exterior. Inside is a single room with a few rows of small tables, mostly for two and very close to one another, set with white tablecloths and red cloth napkins, and it has unadorned yet stately marbled golden walls. Simple but elegant – it's a bistro after all.

Reason to visit: Starter spread, French bistro classics, Sunday brunch.

The food: Bistro food is comfort food: stews, braises, and grilled meats with veggies. If you visit expecting fine French haute cuisine you will inevitably be disappointed. After all, beef Bourguignon is the French equivalent of stew at an Irish pub – if you are happy eating it, it's met your expectations, and that's what Les Sans Culottes delivers.

There are three things that make this place special. First, it's a simple, authentic style of French food that is difficult to find in New York (or anywhere) without overcomplicating the issue. Secondly, it's dirt cheap by New York standards, especially given the pricey neighborhood and convenient location. Third is the unique appetizer array, something I have seen nowhere else in the world.

After being seated, every table is adorned with a bizarre smorgasbord of sausages, pate, fruits and vegetables. The centerpiece of this is a wire tower about two feet high from which ropes of thick European sausage and salami dangle off hooks – a virtual Christmas tree of meats. There are three different styles of sausage and salami and the sheer girth is dazzling. This is accompanied by a large wicker basket full of fruits and vegetables, many of them oddly whole – full length scallions as if you are meant to chew on the greens, a whole carrot a foot long, raw radishes, a half a cucumber, and several large whole tomatoes which you are meant to either slice yourself or perhaps eat like apples. The few manageable servings in this basket are slices of melon. All of this is accompanied by a platter that contains a large crock of spreadable country-style pate, a bowl of house dressing, a thick and creamy vinaigrette for the veggies, and a bowl of cornichons to accompany the meats. There is another bowl full of baguette slices. This starter spread is left on the table as long as you want, and could easily be lunch or dinner on its own.

The menu concept at Les San Culottes is simple: you get a fixed price three-course dinner for $25 that includes this expansive first course, a broad choice of entrees including sautéed trout or tilapia, grilled salmon, shrimp, pasta with mixed seafood, steamed mussels, onglet (hanger steak) with béarnaise sauce, beef Bourguignon, calf's liver, coq au vin, chicken cordon bleu and other options. Dessert is a choice of two classics, chocolate mousse and caramel flan.

Served by friendly waiters in a casually elegant setting, it's a meal that is almost impossible to find at this price in New York. There are two upgrade options -- for $32 the entree choices expand to crispy duck or halibut, for $35 filet mignon, rack of lamb, or shell steak. Lunch is similar, a two-course deal, omitting dessert, retaining the starter spread, and adding a few lighter entrée options such as omelets, for $16.50. You can also order a la carte, and if sausage and raw vegetables are not your thing, there is an array of appetizer options such as French onion soup, as well as additional desserts. The wine list is priced in similar fashion, and a carafe of house red or white is a steal that sets the Parisian mood.

On Saturdays and Sundays from 12-4, brunch includes a three course meal with unlimited drinks – Bloody Marys, mimosas, house wine or screwdrivers, for $25. Considering that many casual Big Apple neighborhood brunch places charge $12 for a single Bloody Mary, this is impressive. If you are visiting New York and getting shell shocked by menu prices, but still want an actual sit down meal that is completely non-touristy and with a semblance of style and romance, I recommend Les Sans Culottes.

Pilgrimage-worthy?: No, but it is a good way to add some variety and foreign flair into a New York visit while getting a great deal.

Rating: Mmmm (Scale: Blah, OK, Mmmm, Yum!, OMG!)

Price: $-$$ ($ cheap, $$ moderate, $$$ expensive)

Details: 1085 Second Avenue (57th Street), New York City; 212-838-6660; lessansculottesny.com

Larry Olmsted has been writing about food and travel for more than 15 years. An avid eater and cook, he has attended cooking classes in Italy, judged a BBQ contest and once dined with Julia Child. Follow him on Twitter, @TravelFoodGuy, and if there's a unique American eatery you think he should visit, send him an e-mail at travel@usatoday.com.