A Good Sign: Tout Va Bien

There are a number of dusty old, hole-in-the-wall, French bistros in the theatre district that hang on tenaciously in defiance of changing tastes and attitudes. None of them are any great shakes cusine-wise; the quality of French food in the city seems to fall off precipitously once you pass Seventh Avenue walking west. But they all have loads of character. One such is Tout Va Bien on W. 51st between 8th and 9th. If you need the split a Chateaubriand for $48, this is the place for you. Or if you like your French restaurants all decked out in the colors of the French flag, and need to hear Edith Piaf while you eat your Floating Island, ditto.

From what I understand, the joint was founded I-don't-know-how-many years ago by Marseillaise native Nina Migliaccio and her soccer player husband, Carlo. They passed it on to Jean-Pierre Touchard, a Breton soccer fan who kept the place intact.

The sign—while strangely in the colors of the Italian flag—is certainly welcoming. I particularly like the way the the tail in the "a" of "restaurant" is so long is looks like a "q." And every letter is ablaze; no blackouts—unusually for neon signs of this age.