he name of celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s latest venture – Bar Americain – is the Parisian phrase for a venue that serves liquor as well as beer and wine. As such, the new Bar Americain on 52nd Street features a serious bar, smack-dab in the middle of an enormous room that in Paris would be described as a convivial brasserie. When this space was JUdson Grill, the bar was off to the left under a dropped ceiling that was, I suppose, meant to foster intimacy. Designer David Rockwell tore out the soffit, restored the ceiling to its original height and clad it in bronze. The bar is now the focal point of the 200-seat space, replete with a 28-foot zinc top custom made in Paris, and a framed wall of mirrors that are angled to reflect the patrons behind those facing them.

Mr. Flay’s partner here – as at Mesa Grill and Bolo – Laurence Kretchmer, has developed a terrific cocktail list with an eye to classics as they’d be found at a “Bar Americain” abroad, except that some have been recast with modern flourishes. For example, the delicious Dark ‘n’ Stormy ($12) combines Gosling’s Black Seal Rum with fresh lime juice and ginger-infused simple syrup – instead of Jamaican ginger beer – to create a refreshing twist that’s less sweet than the original. While I was thrilled to see a Sazerac on the menu ($12), served straight-up with Pernod, bitters, and cognac (instead of rye), I prefer the original, served over a wedge of hand-cracked ice.

Ice, it would seem, is saved for better use at the other bar: the raw bar, a magnificent display of fresh shellfish that serves as a boundary behind which the cooks – including Mr. Flay himself quite often – work nimbly in the open kitchen. Seated within sight of all this, in a plush, round banquette upholstered in auburn leather, it’s easy to get distracted by all of the action in this boisterous space. Curiously, the tables are quite large, making it a challenge to be heard above the dull roar.

The menu, our waiter explained, was inspired by the regional foods Mr. Flay encountered while filming “FoodNation,” his Food Network travel guide in which he traverses the country examining local culinary trends and traditions. Mr. Flay employs flair and whimsy in these dishes, sometimes combining unlikely ingredients. The raw bar offers “shellfish cocktails”: Shrimp with a pungent tomatillo sauce ($13), crabmeat and coconut with diced mango ($13), or lobster and avocado chunks in a creamy mayonnaise ($16). I chose a tasting of all three ($19), which were served in a row of old-fashioned stemless Manhattan glasses.

Another starter with a similar sense of adventure was the “Artisanal Ham Tasting” ($12), showcasing three versions of a Kentucky ham with the appearance and consistency of prosciutto. The trio one night included slices of the ham served with pear chutney and baby lettuces in one iteration, layered with homemade mozzarella in another, and stuffed inside a small biscuit spread with honey mustard in a third. While all three were interesting, I’m still of the mind that ham of prosciutto quality – which this certainly was – tastes best unadorned.

A starter of spicy-sweet lamb sausage poached in a heady zinfandel wine with white beans was also earthy, moist, and satisfying – an Americain riff on cassoulet ($12). Crisp squash blossoms stuffed with pulled pork and splashed with a black-pepper vinaigrette seemed more of the season right now, however ($10).

Entrees (which actually mean appetizers in French but are main courses here) included a fabulous rendition of moules et frites, called “Mussels and Fries Americain” ($21) – the former steamed in a spicy green chile broth, the latter excellently crisp. As one would expect at even an American place with a French accent, the duck was really good, too, here presented two ways on the same plate: a sliced breast, cooked rare and juicy, and a confited leg with skin as crisp as mille feuille ($27). Served with “dirty” wild rice and a dark Bourbon sauce, it transcended any connection to France.

Under their own heading are “The Steaks” – four in total, all given the full-Flay spice rub. While the rib-eye ($33) was the most tender and flavorful of the lot, I preferred the meaty chew of the New York Strip ($34), which was nearly two-inches thick. Sides worth investigating included chili-pepper-dusted potato chips, which were hot out of the oil and served with a blue cheese dip, and cauliflower with a goat-cheese gratin that was creamy and crunchy at once.

Save room for pastry chef Vicki Wells’s desserts (all $9), which include a fabulous blackberry souffle that was so fresh the seeds popped in my mouth between bites, a deepdish chocolate cream pie with fresh whipped cream, and tiny caramel-stuffed eclairs bathed in whiskey that went down as easily as the fantastic fries.

Bar Americain, 152 W. 52nd St., 212-265-9700.