All that's left of Chez Gaudy is the ornate ironwork guarding the windows and the crown molding around the ceiling, and while Gaudy's warren of clutteredness was fun, its meatballs will not be missed. The space, hidden in plain sight on Capitol Hill's Bellevue Avenue, is now the open, airy, and lovely La Bête, and the food has all the earmarks of greatness. In the (open) kitchen: Aleks Dimitrijevic (aka "The Vapor," with experience at Bouley, Harvest Vine, Licorous, and Union) and Tyler Moritz ("The Beastmaster," of Earth and Ocean, Lark, Union). Test out their work at brunch—everybody's tousled, the food's delicious, and the lighting's perfect. (La Bête,1802 Bellevue Ave, 329-4047, 10:30 am–2:30 pm)