Five French Brasseries

David Myers's much-anticipated Comme Ça isn't the only cool French brasserie in town—just the newest. Here's a rundown of the options.

1. At the lively Comme Ça (just blocks away from Myers's restaurant Sona), the look is a blend of classic (antique mirrors, black-and-white prints, chalkboard menus) and contemporary (white banquettes, almost Asian-looking plastic seats) elements. Shelves are stacked with books, glassware, and white china. In the main room, one bar serves classic cocktails, and another is covered with wheels and chunks of European and American cheeses. The menu is everything a brasserie's should be, with dishes like frisée aux lardoons, steak frites, escargot, coq au vin, and beef bourguignon. The cheese and wine selections are top-notch. Two private dining rooms can be used together or separately. Toward the back of the restaurant , one has a fireplace, views into the wine cellar, and holds 38 for seated events; located between that and the main room, the Deauville Room holds 40 for seated events. The entire restaurant seats 120.

2. Since 1992, Jean-Francois Meteigner (an alum of L’Orangerie) has prepared his style of French cuisine at La Cachette, a romantic, French-cottage setting. The den, a small private room colored with pale yellows and gold, holds 40 for seated events. The entire restaurant seats 140.3. The best parts about Morels are its view of the Grove fountains and the French onion soup. The wraparound patio gives full view of the outdoor mall shoppers; inside, the bistro has tile floors complete with waiters in white shirts and vests. Upstairs is a less-casual steak house. A private room seats 30, and the patio can be used for semiprivate events.

4. After success with the first L.A. outpost in Burbank, David Wilhelm’s Culinary Adventures group opened French 75 Bistro in the Century City mall. The dining room and bar have stamped-tin ceilings, vintage posters, scrolled iron accents, and original antiques. The bar holds 40 for receptions, and the patio seats 80.

5. The Patina Group-owned Kendall's Brasserie in the Music Center offers rustic French cuisine in a dining room filled with fringed lamps and oversize Toulouse-Lautrec murals. In the lounge, an iced raw bar display creates a tantalizing centerpiece for the room. There are two private rooms: The smaller holds 14, and the larger holds 96 and has audiovisual equipment. The bar holds 75 for receptions.