Alison Eighteen's Gracious Dining Room | Union Square, New York

Alison Eighteen is a restaurant for those who have been around the New York City dining block a few times.

With the legendary Alison on Dominick Street and Alison by the Beach behind her, Alison Price Becker is surely able to make this claim.

Seemingly immune to trends, Alison Eighteen's dining room is gracious, with tufted aubergine banquettes, striking floral arrangements, custom-illustrated wallpaper and a civilized decibel level.

And although the environment speaks of a more stately time, chef Robert Gurvich's food ducks dullness.

Beets escape their typical cohort, goat cheese, and instead tangle in the raw with escarole, apples, hazelnuts and radishes ($15). The dish's zippy, buttery crunch makes a full-fledged argument for winter salads (click here for the recipe) until spring fully hits.

Yukon potatoes are smooth and saturated with butter ($9). A pile of creamy garlic-, shallot- and uni-flecked fettuccine is crossed with razor clams in their shells ($29).

Mercifully, Alison Eighteen's genteel eats aren't limited to just supper: A marble-topped breakfast kiosk in the front of the restaurant just debuted. Stop in from 8 to 11 a.m. for coffee, a buttermilk scone stippled with apricots ($3.50) and the quietest coffeehouse experience in town.

Alison Eighteen, 15 W. 18th St. (between Fifth and Sixth aves.); 212-366-1818 or alisoneighteen.com