L’Ecole, the restaurant of New York’s French Culinary Institute, will be the best class you’ve ever sat through. Students, under the careful supervision of world-class chefs, present their finest work on your plate. You won’t find the typical French bistro vibe here, but the soothing beige lighting that falls upon the cream walls gives the place a simplistic and stylish atmosphere. Score a table for two by the window perched above the bustling shoppers of Soho. Order the prix fixe menu – multi-course lunches and dinners cost less than $35 and include delicacies such as country pate with fois gras and pasticcios. The wine parings are a steal for $14. The head of wine at the school is Andrea Immer, of Great Wine Made Simple fame. Take advantage of this gem – the person creating your gastronomic delight might be the next Thomas Keller.