Keith McNally has planted his culinary flag in New York City’s booming Financial District. The forthcoming Augustine will anchor yet another neighborhood newcomer—the stately, landmarked, and long-awaited Beekman Hotel, which is emerging from an immaculate renovation this spring. On the ground floor, in one of the two restaurants (Tom Colicchio spearheads the other), McNally is sticking to what he does best, serving refined French fare such as petit aioli, lobster salad, and grilled porterhouse. “It won’t feel different to some people,” he demurs, but “the food will be lighter, more inspired by the market.” With a rakish hint at the appeal of being situated within a lush, beautifully appointed New York hotel, McNally suggests that Augustine may be just the place to pursue a spring romance: “This is a restaurant you’d take your lover to, not your husband or wife.”