Depending on the time of day, Zinc Bistro takes on different guises — it's a bright, bustling place to see and be seen at lunchtime, and a romantic, candlelit hotspot at night. We'll take any excuse to stop by for chef Matt Carter's tasty French cooking (like ratatouille, braised lamb shank, or prime flat iron steak), but for some reason we especially love this place in the afternoon, when we can rendezvous with friends on the front patio, order a nice bottle of wine, and shamelessly slurp up icy-cold oysters on the half-shell as if there were no tomorrow. We're convinced this is how Parisians perfect their joie de vivre. On a sunny afternoon (let's face it: There are plenty of those in these parts), we'd much rather be hanging here than just about anywhere else — just don't tell our boss!