Young chef Alex Freij, who has worked under Jean-Louis Palladin and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, opened this instant East Village hit. Intended as a hangout for restaurant folk, industry (food) lures hip people from all walks of life into its quasi-Val d'Isère chalet dining room, all woody and snug. Chef de cuisine Kenneth Tufo, a Veritas alum, fools around with food in a thoroughly fun and fabulous way. Rich pork confit, coated in cumin and coriander, on flageolets is his way of saying "pork and beans," and a lobster roll comes as sweet meat on toasted brioche. Reservations essential. Subway: F, V to 2nd Ave.; 6 to Astor Pl.