A Bit of Provence In the Village

Apparently, nothing says Provence like the color yellow. That's certainly what one would think looking at the Partage, which screams the color at the top of its lungs. Located in the heart of the West Village, this Provençal restaurant resembles a giant Dick Tracy raincoat, sporting a slick yellow storefront and a massive yellow canopy for its sidewalk cafe. Amid restaurants known for subtle exposed-brick walls and dim lighting, Partage is about as inconspicuous as a pink zebra.

Inside, the shock of yellow fades, producing a decidedly schizophrenic ambience. With a weathered wood ceiling and tiny intimate candles, Partage transports its diners out of the heartbeat of the city and into the French countryside. This vacation, however, is soon ruined by the pulsing club music and the noisy patrons at the bar. Not only is the din inconsistent with the rustic atmosphere the restaurant strives to cultivate, it is downright intrusive, driving a wedge between you and your company.

Though Partage misses the mark when it comes to ambience, it thankfully gets the food just right. The soup du jour, made with a carrot extraction, was light and flavorful, breezy as an open-air bistro. It comes with crisp wedges of bread that beg to be sunk into the orange froth.

Partage also offers a wide selection of wines and creative cocktails. The Partage, the restaurant's signature cocktail, is a citrus wonder. Fresh lime, kiwi, and cantaloupe are mixed with dark rum, sugar, mint, and a splash of tonic to create a drink sweet and sour in equal measure. In addition to this cocktail, the restaurant offers nine more, each one as creative as the last.

Partage's entrees go beyond the typical French fare and reflect the diverse Mediterranean influences on Provençal cuisine. The lamb brochettes à la Marocaine could just as well have been served in a North African restaurant, so far do they stray from what is generally regarded as French fare. This dish is essentially a simple shish kebab with juicy, tender chunks of lamb skewered alongside onions, peppers, and other vegetables, all atop a bed of Middle Eastern rice.

The roast chicken with sauteed potatoes and haricots verts is also a standout entree. While chicken is not usually counted among the most dynamic of dishes, this roast is so succulent, so unabashedly flavorful, that it transcends the curse of the poultry. The potatoes play an important supporting role: not too soft, not too hard, these delicious starch wedges are just right.

While the dessert menu offers a crème brûlee and a variation on the token mousse cake, the crêpes are the real story. At Partage, the wafer-thin pancakes come in five different flavors: butter and sugar, dark chocolate and candied orange, caramelized apple and Calvados (a dry apple brandy from Normandy), Nutella and banana, and strawberry. This last variety is remarkably decadent; sweet, fruity and doughy, this crêpe melts in the mouth.

Partage is not the place for a romantic dinner, unless your date gets off on trance and pâte. But, if you want to hit the town with some friends and enjoy great, reasonably priced food in a place buzzing with the young and urban, Partage is your ticket. That is, so long as you can stomach what can only be called "Barnyard Disco Inferno."