French Connection
The South of France, Now Downtown

Sophie Marceau. Audrey Tautou. Inspector Clouseau.

The charms of the French are hard to resist. And in a couple short days, those French temptations will be landing on your doorstep, so you might want to take the weekend to get your mind right.

Introducing Bistro du Midi, your new upscale French farmhouse, conveniently located in downtown and opening Monday.

Carved out of the old Excelsior space, BDM is the sort of rustic bistro you'd find in the Provence region of France, a place you could imagine Jean-Paul Sartre taking the latest object of his philosophizing affection, or where Thierry Henry might go to unwind and refuel after a sweet handball-aided soccer victory.

First thing you'll want to do is grab a booth along the wall, pour you and your mademoiselle something from the 1100-strong wine list (sommeliers are standing by) and tease your appetite with bites like Rabbit Rillette With Pistachios and Toasted Country Bread.

Then, head upstairs for some Classic Provencal Beef Short Rib Daub with beef that's been slow-cooked for 48 hours, and if you're willing to abandon your wine, there's the Petanque cocktail, made with lavender-infused blanco tequila and fresh-squeezed lime juice.

You'll also notice signed lithographs from Matisse and Picasso adorning the walls—or you would, if you weren't distracted by the killer views of Boston Public Gardens.

Lavender-infused tequila always brings out your inner botanist.