French American Brasserie (FAB)

Restaurateur Fabrice Vergez steered Brasserie Le Coze through its last days at Lenox Square and negotiated a sweet deal for a grande brasserie in Ivan Allen Plaza. The new place has much of the same magic as the old one, but it is far grander. A long menu of traditional French fare (steak, frites, escargots, skate wings) and romantic turn-of-the-century decor lure people who haven’t dined Downtown in years.