Wine bar | New arrival downtown offers wine bar

Despite the daunting challenges posed by timing and location, Perle, a lustrous new French restaurant on Pearl Street, may succeed thanks to value power, with recession-friendly pricing on its food and drink lineup.

Restaurant

Perle has two ways to play the hospitality game. Sharing a block with Fraunces Tavern, its first-floor cafe has a comfortably lived-in look, with bistro fittings of a pressed-tin ceiling, antique mirrors, and dark wood booths and wainscoting.

It fulfills its job description as "bistro moderne'' with a sizable wine bar downstairs. The contemporary decor features a glass-framed wine rack and blond wood chairs. Step farther into the subterranean space and discover The Boudoir in Perle, a cozy area with antique wallpaper, vintage-look furniture and retro lighting. Beyond that is yet another room for parties.

The main men in the Perle equation are owner Mario Carta, a native of Lorraine--which may explain the exceptional quality of Perle's quiche Lorraine--and chef Franck Hierholzer. Mr. Carta is a creator of clubs, bars and restaurants in both France and Manhattan. Chef Hierholzer's culinary creds are from star-studded kitchens in Paris and Miami.

The Financial District newcomer has quickly won an attractive young following. They arrive later than one might expect, starting slowly at 7 p.m. and reaching full-blast by 8:30 p.m. The wine bar is buzzing. A fine bar menu has just been added, with $3 and $4 prices for the likes of risotto with morels, foie gras, sliders and filet mignon (small!).

The dining room fare includes attractively prepared bistro classics, from escargots and onion soup to pan-seared foie gras in Armagnac-apple chutney. Appetizers ($6.50 to $15) include a hefty slice of that terrific quiche with a small salad, or other goodies such as grilled sea scallops teamed with pancetta, chives and olive oil; and grilled octopus with chickpeas and lemon confit. Tuna nioise features seared ahi tuna, and there is a fine tuna tartare--$13 at lunch--studded with capers and presented with a tasty tumble of lettuces.

Main courses offer the same bang for the buck. Delicious seafood dishes run from $14 to $18, and a grilled strip steak with frites and baby greens for $18. A crisp-skinned salmon steak with sliced chanterelles and pine nuts is $14 at lunchtime. At dinner, the salmon style is en papillotte, baked with mixed vegetables, herbs, wine and oil.

The mussels on offer are the standard mariniere with garlic, shallots, thyme and white wine; and aux epices in broth with coconut milk and spicy curry. Unfortunately, the only spiciness is on the menu.

Fresh tagliatelle ($17) with woodsy morels and a cognac flambe is a popular entree, but more reduction of the creamy sauce would make it cling better to the pasta.

There are other occasional lapses. The French onion soup cries out for greater depth of flavor, in both the bland cheese topping and the broth, which needs more browning of bones and caramelizing of onions.

Desserts are the usual savory suspects: profiteroles, creme brlee and a tarte Tatin thin enough to put in an envelope. It's served warm, topped with good pistachio ice cream.

Service is pleasant and accommodating, but on a recent Saturday, Mr. Carta had only one waiter on the floor at 1 p.m. He was soon overwhelmed by more than 30 guests. The owner says he learned his lesson, and the problem will not recur.

True to restaurant form, Perle has vigorously marked up some low-end wines, but most bumps are quite reasonable.