“This scene is so Breakfast at Tiffany’s!” says a friend on a freezing winter night, as we inch our way inside this lively, new downtown bistro, the hip little sister of the flagship Frederick’s uptown.

Lined up at the chic, zinc bar, waiting for one of the sleek, white, circular booths or intimate, little tables are modern-day recreations of the characters that populated that 1961 film. With all the Holly Golightly model/actress/whatever types, still in their little black dresses, flirting with the darkly handsome Euro men, it seems as if New York hasn’t really changed all that much in the near half-century since that film’s memorable cocktail party scene.

And the phrase “cocktail party” is quite apropos when it comes to this clubby French bistro since, as soon as you walk in, you feel like you’re in the most fashionable party in town. Everyone seems to know everyone, and table-hopping and double-cheek kissing are de rigueur.

Designed by executive chef Vincent Chirico (formerly of Aquavit and Tocqueville), the menu reveals a sexy Mediterranean flair. Whole roasted dorade ($36) is served with string beans, and Hanger steak ($22) arrives with a shallot-mushroom sauce. Trio of crudo (tuna tartar, salmon tartar and yellowtail, $15) is a fresh, tangy appetizer big enough for two to share, and the foie gras selection changes daily. Many of the tapas appetizers (assorted olives, dry tomatoes with goat cheese mousse, crispy calamari, Merguez sausage) are priced in the $4 to $5 dollar range, encouraging groups to order many tastes and share. All of the above are excellent examples of the traditional bistro classics, spiked with Chirico’s signature flair and insistence on freshness.

In keeping with the French bistro theme, prices are moderate here, and that includes the wine. A generous selection of wines from France, Italy, California and Spain are offered by the glass (starting at $10) or carafe ($40s to $70s), with bottles ranging from $42 to $125. Ordering by the half-carafe seems the best deal if you want to broaden your repertory of wines or want to pair wines with different courses. Of course, if you’ve booked one of the white stretch limos waiting in front, by all means order that $450 bottle of Cristal.

Sunday brunch brings a different, more languid scene. Breeze in just past noon and you’re greeted with the sounds of mellow jazz you can actually hear and a menu comprised of the usual brunch dishes (omelets and sandwiches, around $14) and the ubiquitous fries ($7) the French have perfected into an art form. You can also find heartier entrees such as sautéed salmon ($22, quite fresh, served on a bed of white asparagus) and a niçoise salad (entrée sized, $22) composed of romaine lettuce, olives, tomato  and three thick slices of top-grade seared tuna.

Brunch is also the perfect time for a group of friends to recap the highlights of last night’s party over a Bloody Mary or celebrate a birthday, as exemplified by a dozen fashionable twentysomethings who booked a banquette of tables next to us and sang “Happy Birthday, Lizzie” when a waiter rolled in a delicious looking chocolate cake. During the day, with bright sunlight streaming in through the large windows of this white, airy space overlooking the intersection of Hudson and Horatio Streets, Frederick’s is the antithesis the dark, nightclub world author Jay McInerney captured in his novel Bright Lights, Big City.

And as much as I like a laid-back brunch scene, I have to admit I enjoy Frederick’s most late at night during the week. A people-watcher’s paradise, every table seems to have some sort of sensational “Sex and the City” story to tell, and the intimate, clubby space feels so comfortable and welcoming in comparison to the new wave of anonymous mega-restaurants in the meatpacking district.

In summer, Frederick’s Downtown will offer al fresco dining. So book a table, order a niçoise salad and a bottle of Bandol rosé on a warm, sunny day, and pretend you’re in the South of France. Given the distinctly downtown cityscape, it might take an additional bottle and the help of some attractive French-speaking stranger to make the fantasy come true, but a girl can dream, can’t she?

Frederick’s Downtown

637 Hudson St. (at Horatio St.)

212-488-4200