Jan. 8 (Bloomberg) -- A ``breastaurant,'' to quote the Urban Dictionary -- there is such a reference work -- is a venue ``that serves both food and breasts.'' Like Hooters.

Midtown Manhattan hosts a few of these establishments, most notably the new Pop Burger just off Fifth Avenue. It was spawned by a slender sister location in the Meatpacking District.

At Pop, waitresses prance about in form-fitting tank tops - -even in the dead of winter. Ours leaned over to take orders. The waist-bending was more practical than seductive; she couldn't hear us over the Rolling Stones pumping through the sound system.

The two Pop Burgers are the Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton of fast-food joints. They're famous for being famous. You'll hear more about their good looks or hip status than the quality of the sliders (substandard) and fries (hot, crispy)

An impossibly busty cartoon avatar fronts the chain's Internet site. A press clipping on its Web page refers to the eatery as a ``fast-food stand-cum-model hangout.'' I've read that Jay-Z is a fan. So are 1,200 adherents on Pop's MySpace domain.

There are three floors. The first is a takeout joint -- if you're hungry for quick, fashionable fare after shopping at Bergdorf's nearby. I was in and out in less than four minutes. Those who eat and stay will bask in style: Reproductions of Warhol's Campbell's Soup prints line the walls.

McPricey

Compact sliders (overcooked) come on brioche buns (hefty, mealy) with Russian-style dressing and American cheese. Add a milkshake (thick) and fries, and you have a McDonald's-quality meal at $15.

The second floor (sparsely populated on a Friday night) is the ``breastaurant.'' Beware of shady accounting practices. Two burgers are $5 downstairs; three are $12 up here.

What are ``individual lobster nachos''? Five tortilla chips topped with tiny chunks of shellfish, slathered with mayonnaise. Fifteen bucks. Five mini lobster rolls (stale bread) came with the same topping. Sixteen bucks. ``House-made'' mozzarella sticks were mostly hollow. Did someone suck out the cheese?

The third-floor billiard room was empty and quiet. Much better. Play pool and try the strip steak; ours was juicy, rare and seasoned. Knock back ``The Float,'' an ice cream soda- evoking concoction of root beer, caramel liqueur and vanilla vodka. Bubble-shaped windows overlook the FAO Schwarz toy store. The space feels like a kid's room.

An expensive, PG-13 kid's room. Dinner for two cost $153.

Pop Burger is at 14 E. 58th St., near Fifth Avenue. Information: +1-212-991-6644; http://www.popburger.com.

How Much?

I paid $14 for clam chowder. What did I expect for that price? Saffron, foie gras, caviar and truffles. What did I get? Potatoes, cream, chorizo and clams.

It was pretty darned good: spicy and rich with a luscious mouthfeel -- though a tad less briny than it should be.

This is Dovetail, chef John Fraser's expensively subversive take on classic American fare. It's one of the most exciting restaurants to open on Manhattan's Upper West Side since Ouest debuted in 2001.

The 90-seat space evokes a mismatched, 1970s living room. Dark woods contrast with green seat tops, cream curtains and brick columns. Acoustics are poor. You will raise your voice. A row of tables looks misaligned.

The food is askew too. That's not a bad thing.

Steak tartare isn't really steak tartare. It's shrimp cocktail. Sort of. Raw beef quenelles are topped with caviar. Scoop up the meat with gently poached prawns.

Gnocchi and veal short ribs induce further tasty confusion. The dumplings disintegrate into potatoey fluffs when consumed. Saucy short ribs pack meaty goodness. Put them all together and you have a crack version of mashed potatoes.

Surf and Turf

Monkfish is soft and flaky. It's known as the ``poor man's lobster.'' So why does it cost $36? Because it's paired with lobster. Fraser has a sense of humor and indulgence: He finishes things off with a slab of seared foie gras. What do you call the combination? Surf (fish) and turf (liver). Brilliant.

Three Metrocard-sized blocks of sirloin (underseasoned) come with a side of beef-cheek lasagna. Where are the noodles? There aren't any. Thin slices of celery root take the place of pasta in the earthy parfait.

Bread pudding sounds innocent enough. Not here. Sweet brioche sits below rum-vanilla ice cream and smoky pork brittle. It sounds odd. It tastes familiar. Ah ha! It's bacon and French toast!

Delicious.

Dinner for two cost $225.

Dovetail is at 103 W. 77th St. Information: +1-212-362- 3800; http://www.dovetailnyc.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 8, 2008 00:07 EST