Madame Claude Bis

Turn off Newark Avenue onto a quiet side street, walk down some steps into Madame Claude Bis, and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a set of Midnight In Paris. The nightly specials at this underground French bistro are written on chalkboards that hang on the brick walls, and people at the bar order French wine while sharing coq au vin and escargots. This place is ideal for a casual date, when you can get drinks and oysters to start, and then order some large plates if you make it through appetizers without needing to exclaim, “We’re not arguing, we’re having a discussion.”

photo credit: Alex Staniloff