Artisanal

To put it mildly, choosing a suitable restaurant for my family is always a challenge. One family member is allergic to onions, peas, scallions and chives. Another’s diet consists solely of Caesar salad, steak, hamburgers and French fries. As for me, I was always the child trying to order the most exotic item on the menu, only to be met with the retort, “No, you can’t order the alligator!”

If your family is similar to mine, you will find a culinary panacea in Artisanal. Still going strong after a few years, this fromage-focused bistro will please diners both picky and adventurous. Artisanal is home to a cave containing hundreds of lovingly cared-for cheeses, a mail-order wholesale and retail cheese business, and the Artisanal Cheese Center, which offers tempting classes like “Red Wine and Cheese Pairing.”

Last night, a basket of light-as-air gougeres was consumed immediately by my relatives, one of whom exclaimed with delight, "They taste like Cheez-Its!" We then split the fondue of the day (there are several fondues available, including Classic Swiss and Stilton with Sauternes). Billed as the “100-cheese fondue,” it was actually comprised of 38 cheeses, the most prominent of which was Cheddar. The velvety, tangy dip was accented with chives and truffle oil and served with bread cubes. We also ordered the crudite for dipping, which included gherkins, carrots, and radishes. (If you want to make more of a meal out of your fondue, you can order several baigneuses such fingerling potatoes, cracked egg and air-dried beef.)

After finishing every last bite of the fondue, we sipped an excellent Sleepy Hollow Pinot Noir which had been recommended by the waiter. Then it was time for the entrees! Feeling decadent, I opted for the “fish and frites”: beer-battered catfish with caraway slaw, French fries and oniony Tartar sauce. My relatives ordered the buttery-tender filet mignon and “chicken cooked under a brick” with haricots verts and potatoes. The compression during cooking sealed all the juices inside the bird.

Dessert was a warm chocolate tart with caramel coulis and homemade orange ice cream with candied orange zest, and profiteroles with flasks of chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Although the chocolate fondue sounded tantalizing, I will have to save it for my next visit. Maybe my relatives will join me!

Artisanal, 2 Park Ave, (212) 725-8585.

Christopher Norman Chocolates

"I used to be a very little girl before I started working here," the cashier said ruefully. Looking at the top shelf of oversized chocolates, I wondered which one she'd been succumbing to. Was it the peanut-crusted chocolate candy apple on a lollipop stick, or the marbled dark and white chocolate pear with a filling of pear-scented whipped cream? Had she been snacking on the dark chocolate champagne pyramids, or the wild cherry hearts? Then again, there was that intriguing white chocolate "cappuccino" served on a chocolate saucer.

I wanted to find out for myself which chocolate was the most irresistible, so I ordered all of the above (plus a peanut butter cup). Although I wasn't "a very little girl" before I started eating Christopher Norman Chocolates, I was less full.

Christopher Norman Chocolates, Ltd: 60 New St., (212) 402-1243.

Martine's Chocolates

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and if you want to ingratiate yourself with a chocoholic, I recommend that you visit Martine's Chocolates. Tucked away on the 6th floor of Bloomingdale's, Martine's is a delightful little shop at which you can watch fresh cream truffles take form before your very eyes. The truffle is a shell of fine chocolate, filled with marzipan mousse, double chocolate truffle or hazelnut praline, as well as a special layer of rich cream. One word of caution: after a box of Martine's truffles, your date will never accept the pre-packaged variety again!

Martine's Chocolates: 1000 3rd Ave., 6th Floor, (212) 705-2347.