Bijou Cafe

[March 19th, 2008] Somewhere between an American diner and a French country restaurant, this downtown staple infuses home-style comfort food with haute ingredients but keeps everything under $12. Besides offering breakfast all day (piles of fluffy Brioche French toast are $8.50), the regular menu ranges from a buckwheat noodle salad with julienne veggies and hijiki seaweed ($7.95) to the hand-patted Bijou burger with jalapeño chutney ($8). Daily specials include rotating omelettes with fillings like kale, bacon and Gruyère ($11.95). (JP)