Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Google the name Daniel. What's the first link that pops up? Daniel Craig? No. Daniel Radcliffe? No. The correct answer is Daniel Boulud. The premier Daniel on the Internet isn't the star of a James Bond or Harry Potter film but, rather, a chef.

Still doubt his popularity? Go visit Bar Boulud, the new French bistro on Manhattan's Upper West Side. You'll wait an hour as a walk-in. And if the quality of the opening-week fare is any indication of things to come, you might wait longer.

Fact: When you dine at a Boulud restaurant, your meal is likely to be excellent.

There's DB Bistro Moderne, which serves Broadway denizens an outstanding burger (it better be at $32). There's the social staple of the Upper East Side, Cafe Boulud (where Tiki Barber was seen sipping a stiff one last Wednesday). There's Daniel, where $185 gets you an eight-course, two-Michelin-starred meal. (Some say it deserves three.)

And now we have Bar Boulud. The 100-seat space overlooks Lincoln Center. Waiters ask if you have a show to attend. Those with sharp eyes can watch the glass concert halls fill up with patrons -- if the lights are flashing, you're late!

Heaters blast by the door. Is it raining outside? Stand next to the glowing gravel wall. Your jeans will dry in no time.

Beige walls make the long, thin room look like a hollow saucisson en croute. Pates and terrines sit behind a long glass counter. This is the French response to a sushi bar.

Order the grand charcuterie platter. These are life- changing cold cuts, courtesy of Gilles Verot. This guy's won awards for head cheese. (The French give out medals for that sort of thing.)

Francophone Deli

Here's a meat cheat sheet.

Pate grand-mere: smooth and livery. Pate grand-pere: chunky and hammy. Fromage de tete: mildly porky and gelatinous. Tasty but overrated. Tagine d'agneau: braised, spiced, funky lamb. Excellent with mustard. Joue de boeuf: evokes perfect corned beef. Cervelas: the best. Meaty, mind-altering black truffle sausage in hot, doughy brioche.

Save room for the regular menu. I've never seen a frisee salad decorated with so many fat, tender lardons and such heady, tasty chicken livers.

Coq au vin (tender and rich with more lardons) and skate (sweet, ropy) never had it this good. Fans of blood sausage will like its smooth iron tang. Mushroom aficionados might order sunchoke soup: An intense fungus custard lies at the bottom of the bowl. House-made fettuccine gets briny olives, silky cuttlefish, lemony sauce. Not a single entree is above $30.

The wine list (Rhone- and Burgundy-heavy) has great offerings under $60. A Duband pinot noir ($58) had enough tannins to stand up to braised chicken, sufficient acid to cut the fat of charcuterie.

Dinner for three -- three courses plus the large charcuterie platter and a bottle of wine -- cost $263.

Bar Boulud is at 1900 Broadway, near 64th Street. Information: +1-212-595-0303; http://www.danielnyc.com.

Cooper's Tavern

``You can't eat decor.'' Close your eyes. Repeat that phrase. Say it enough and you'll appreciate the tasty grub being served at Cooper's Tavern near Madison Square Garden.

Rangers fans populate the bar before games. Many seats overlook a McDonald's across the street. Some will see the ghastly lobby of the New Yorker Hotel -- where the venue is located. Sometimes the wine refrigerator's hum overwhelms the soft lounge music.

It's a casual space with non-casual prices. Steaks start at $34. The skyscraper burger -- 12 ounces -- is $17. Our meat had an odd, sour tang. I advised my companion to stop eating. Our strip ($37) was rare on the inside, charred on the outside, perfectly seasoned.

Pricey Sloppy Joes

Chef Julian Clauss-Ehlers has a few tricks up his sleeve.

The $22 fish and chips is one of the city's better renditions. A single fat block of cod (flaky, soft) wears a delicate crust. Dip the fries in creamy hot sauce.

Sloppy Joes? Sixteen bucks. That's because they're made with short ribs. Four little sandwiches come on soft biscuits. Very tasty. Maine lobster? Skip it. Tiny overcooked chunks were wrapped in pastry dough. Shrimp? Fried and cocktail versions didn't look fully cleaned. Clams with chorizo were briny, plentiful.

Dinner for two cost $182.

Cooper's Tavern is at 481 Eighth Ave., near 35th Street. Information: +1-212-268-8460; http://www.cooperstavern.com.

(Ryan Sutton is a writer for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer of this story: Ryan Sutton in New York at rsutton1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: January 15, 2008 00:02 EST