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This busy theater-district eatery is like a stage-set replica of a French brasserie. Everything looks right from a distance—the painted French doors, the faux luggage rack, and a hodgepodge menu of cross-regional French dishes—but under close scrutiny, the façade doesn’t always hold up. A savory onion tart marrying sweet, caramelized onions with nutty Gruyère suffers from a tough pastry crust whereas a sprightly, vinaigrette-laced frisée salad, with plenty of crispy lardons and a tiny poached egg, comes near to exhibiting authentic culinary joie de vivre. Hordes of pre-curtain diners and out-of-towners too shy to venture too far afield may sup here, but for those seeking authentic, consistent French fare, the real thing lies outside this brasserie’s doors. — Ganda Suthivarakom

Sat—Sun, 10am—4:30pm

Frisée with poached egg and lardon, $9.75