Anyone that shares our morbid attachment to old-school French restaurants will be pleased at the news, reported by Gael Greene, that the owner of Le Madeleine may be taking over the space recently vacated by Rene Pujol. According to Gael, “there are still a few loose threads — investors to commit, the lease to negotiate,” but most of the Madeleine staff will be sticking with Toney Edwards, who ran the place for 28 years before losing the lease a few months ago. The two restaurants were similar in spirit during their long coexistence, and so the move makes a lot of sense — like Buddy Hackett replacing Jack Carter at a Friar’s roast, or salmon filling in for chicken at a wedding dinner.

Short Order [Insatiable Critic]

Related: René Pujol Closes, Victim of the Times (and Theater Strike)