Tournesol   

5012 Vernon Blvd # B
Long Island City, NY 11101
718-472-4355

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When you think of Long Island City, you probably don't think of upscale cuisine, much less upscale cuisine with a French accent. But luckily for LIC's Manhattan emigres, there's Tournesol, a diamond in the area's industrial rough. Given the positive buzz after its opening, and the nearby MoMA QNS, this could be the cornerstone for an area revival. (The next Smith Street, perhaps?) Opened by Pascal Escriout, formerly of Artisanal, this bistro provides the neighborhood with traditional French cuisine at a moderate price in a pleasant, classy setting illuminated with carriage lamps. And for those that get turned off more by a trip to Queens than frog leg soup, you'll be glad to know this spot is just around the corner from the 7 train's first stop in Queens. -- Dan Rubinstein