If you happen to miss Casanis on the Lower East Side (and before that, on East 1st Street), worry not: Yesterday that bygone bistro’s chef-owner Sebastian Maczko opened a French joint right across the bridge, on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. He’s teamed up with his partners in Chloe 81, Mike Townsend, Brooke Smy, and M Kouger (known to most as simply M), and together they’ve opened Morgane. As you can see here, the menu is straightforward French, with a few Schiller’s-esque comfort-food additions like the Cuban sandwich and macaroni and cheese. Other nods to McNally include design touches that seem to come straight from Balthazar, as well as baguettes and pastries that actually do come from Balthazar Bakery. Morgane has one thing none of McNally’s restaurants have, though — a lovely back garden. It’ll be open for lunch as well, in the coming days.
Morgane Restaurant & Bar, 340 Bedford Ave., nr. S. 3rd St., Williamsburg; 347-599-0699
