Nouvelle Friends From France

A European outpost of Cafe Drake - actually, our sister Anne, resident of 23 years+ in France - alerted us to friends traveling to NYC and we were only too happy to meet for cocktails and Korean grub on these lovely ladies' last night in our fair city.

Stalwart Cafe Drake gal pal Jen Lazzaro joined us all for libations at Me Bar (17 West 32nd Street), atop the 14th floor of Koreatown's La Quinta hotel, and once past the tres budget lobby and stifling hot elevators, we emerged into high altitude splendor, with an unrivaled worm's eye view of the towering Empire State Building . . . optical inches away from grabbing and squeezing, so skewed and vertiginous the perspective.

Full but not cramped, this al fresco balcony fills with smokers relishing the freedom of outdoor air and its inherent liberties, and dishing up drinks only slightly scandalously priced (and WELL BELOW 90% of all other hotel watering spots). The crowd is cool without being shallow or sceney, and after 2 potent Sapphire Gimlets ($9 each) Cafe Drake suggested we pop downstairs for next door Korean BBQ.

Although Korean restaurants on the block number into the dozens, we settled on an old favorite, distinguished by (in former, wilder club days) a 24-hour kitchen and wood chip fueled tabletop grills - NY Kom Tang Soot Bul Kal Bi (32 West 32nd St, NYC, 10001, 212/947-8482). The smoky natural aromas greet one upon entry and so differ from the usual gas or electric variety with their unappetizing petrol odors. Pre-dishes, or banchan, are numerous here: over 8 by our count and including standouts like potato and apple salad, tiny dried anchovies, raw crab in a dense chile sauce, 2 types of kimchee, sweetened and grated daikon radish, bean sprout salad and an unusual ensemble of chives and scallions in sesame oil.

Spicy pork belly ($20) and marinated sirloin strips ($16) were poured onto the coals by an expert staff, all too willing to stir as needed and then add green chiles for heat and raw garlic for pungency before serving atop steamed rice with smiling aplomb. A liter of cucumber soju (Korean infused vodka - $14) was refreshing as a chilly breeze on this severely humid evening, as were endlessly replenished platters of crisp green and red leaf lettuce and fresh herbs for wrapping up the charred, tender meats.

Desperate to walk off our highly replete tummies, Cafe Drake and Anne Clavarie and Caroline strolled up 6th Ave (in all its seedy nighttime splendor) to the cool confines of Bryant Park to enjoy the weekly film series - glorious, luminous B&W Hollywood classics screened for 1000s amidst the towering lights of Midtown skyscrapers. Cafe Drake eventually bid au revoir to our new French friends to run home and feed le chat. And you all know who that fine fellow is.