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For more than a decade, Balthazar has remained New York's casual-French gold standard, where downtown chic combines with upmarket bistro cooking. Throughout the generous space, gigantic mirrors reflect the glow of the crowd (an always varied mix of next-door neighbors, international foodies and any New Yorker who knows his escargots). The high-powered weekday breakfast scene is a better alternative to the two-hour wait for weekend brunch.