At just after 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday December 10, the burlesque performers showed up at Raoul’s. 8:30 p.m., yes, seems early to see a little bit of titty. And yes, Tuesday also seems early in the week to see a little bit of titty. But shimmy and sashay they did—to a jazz rendition of Britney Spears ’s …Baby One More Time —with one dancer even climbing atop the spiral suitcase near the bar.

It was an occasion to throw propriety to the wind: The SoHo bistro’s 50th anniversary. Although Raoul’s has often been described as a downtown institution, now, it felt like an indisputable fact. While the neighborhood has transformed from warehouses and art galleries to designer boutiques and chain megastores, the dark and moody Raoul’s has remained the same—as has much of its clientele. In the s

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