If you hate Catch, fair. There are more deserving objects for your rage, but the national clubstaurant chain that started in Meatpacking is, technically, an ostentatious money vampire. Their Soho sister restaurant, The Corner Store, on the other hand? Unimpeachable. We’re kidding, but only slightly. This nostalgic American spot is a serious-looking place that doesn’t take itself seriously. It’s a land of velvet booths and tiled marble floors, populated by servers in boxy suits who really think you could use some fancy pizza rolls and a cocktail rimmed with Cap’n Crunch. Sounds like a gimmick, but, for a place that’s pretty much The Cheesecake Factory in a more scene-obsessed tax bracket, the food is a lot better than it needs to be. And, relatively speaking, the prices aren’t atrocious. Avoid the caviar, and you can easily get out for under $100 per person. Not bad for a spot that works for a blowout birthday. Give in to the ridiculousness, and enjoy some steak frites with a Sour Cream & Onion Martini. The latter should be a crime, but goes down smooth. The same could be said about the fried cubes of cream cheese on the caesar, the multiple hosts guarding the entrance, and the lamp-lined gallery walls doing their best impression of The Polo Bar. It’s all a bit excessive, and yet, just right. Don’t think too much. That’s bad practice here. Just pop some pizza rolls while you try to figure out whose security detail is out front, and say yes when your server asks if you’d like the martini service for two. You’re a clubstaurant person now. The Corner Store is featured in an episode of our podcast, Restaurant People, where we discuss lining up for restaurants.