Let me be the next in what is sure to be a long line of people saying PLEASE bring a place like this to JH. Although, personally, I would say that something that is more of a "gastropub" and less of a "french bistro" would be fine by me. What do I mean? Well, some place with dark wood furniture, low lighting, cozy booths as well as some larger tables, a bar in the front, and a casual, comfortable, welcoming feel that is not too fancy, but a couple notches above a bar. (I agree with a previous poster, in that I find NOVO to have absolutely zero ambience).
Such a place would have a decent (even if modest) brunch menu, decent wine, decent tap beers, and a dinner menu that would include a great burger, a few interesting sandwiches, a good steak, duck, cog au vin, a fish special, and a smattering of other options. It might even serve food late, or even just stay open late as a low-key place to grab a beer, thus serving yet another purpose that I think the neighborhood has (a place to grab a quiet nightcap or two).
Again, while I appreciate NOVO, I find it to be lacking in some undefinable "vibe" that makes it seem kind of dull for me -- I think it may actually be a little TOO "nice" and I'm envisioning something slightly more casual, though still with great food.
If our mysterious restaurateurs want some examples to check out, I'd suggest Quaint in Sunnyside, Sidecar on 5th Ave in Park Slope, and Alchemy (also on 5th Ave in Park Slope). None of these places are perfect, but each does many things well, and taking cues from each of them would not be a bad thing. A step up in refinement than Le Flor in Woodside but with a similar comfortable casualness (and a bar) is another useful comparison.
In my humble opinion, a successful new joint in JH does not need to be fancy, but it would be great if it had:
Good food at a range of prices (from a $10-12 burger to a $25 rotating special)
Good beer and wine (microbrews and mid-to-higher priced bottled wine)
Weekend brunch
I may be a snob, but I think something like this would be great.