Good news for fans of brunch on one side of town, and Francophiles on the other, as two new restaurants opened this past week. Cafe in the Heights opened on January 9th. It's not often that Lincoln Heights attracts attention west of La Brea. Not that this coffee shop has especially gourmet aims, but it does have excellent coffee to go along with pastries, sandwiches (of the lunch and breakfast variety) and smoothies. 3510 N. Broadway 90031, 323-224-9964.

And on a much fancier note, Maison Maurice opened January 5th. It's true that this bistro opened for a couple days last month, but this time they really mean it. The vibe is classic Parisian meets Victorian decor explosion with some bohemian touches, but the food stays pretty straightforward with bistro classics. There are rumors of a bouncer employed to keep out…street urchins? Seems a bit much. 8620 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills 90211, 310-967-0021.

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