Brasserie by Niche

Gerard Craft strikes again. The acclaimed young chef has reinvented the venerable Central West End French restaurant Chez Leon (which relocated to Clayton) as a casual mecca for your favorite French dishes, from the cheese-crusted crock of onion soup to a killer cassoulet. The prices are reasonable, the dishes unpretentious. The emphasis here is on good ingredients prepared with skill and care rather than showy technique. Consider the meltingly tender beef short ribs or a tender piece of salmon paired with braised leeks and lentils. Appetizers include very good pork ptés. The beer list is excellent.