Palme d'Or

The venerable grand dame of dining is usually reserved for marriage proposals and graduations. The food is French, but it's far from traditional. It's served in trendy and tasty appetizer-size portions so diners can assemble their own four- or six-course grazing prix fixes. Menu items include indulgences such as seared foie gras, king crab, seared duck breast, and seared black cod with lobster polenta. The fare is expensive, but compared to a round-trip ticket to Paris, the price to dine inside the legendary Biltmore Hotel is relatively reasonable. Indeed, Palme d'Or is a good reason to break out the dressy outfit and celebrate for no reason at all. How very French. Insider tip: Palme d'Or's dress code is "smart and elegant, to fit in with the unmistakable charm of this culinary icon." That means leave your Gucci pool slides at home and dress in a way that would make your mother proud for once in your life.