Restaurant Review:

When I think of Champagne French Bakery Cafe, I wonder why more of them aren’t around.

It has the perfect recipe for a mega-chain: The food is basic but has a hook; it is inexpensive and seems to appeal to the masses.

Three of them are in the Newport-Mesa area and five in Orange County, but really there could be three times that amount. Why there are two at South Coast Plaza is a mystery to me, but I figured I could ponder that right after I decided what pastry I was going to take home after dinner.

The restaurant at South Coast Plaza that is near Crate & Barrel is the same in cuisine as the one outdoors, but differs in decor.

There is a French bistro type of feel, with chandeliers and rich earthy tones on the wall. I was a bit surprised at the quality of the metal table and chairs.

The cafe by the Bridge of Gardens is exclusively outdoor seating and is a great place to go when the weather is nice.

The food at all of the restaurants is the same. The menu is focused, and its limitations are not readily evident.

There are two crepes, two flatbreads and two quiches, though there are several more options with the sandwiches and salads.

My first choice was going to be a croque monsieur, but I didn’t want Swiss cheese with my ham. Unfortunately I was told it could not be substituted because it was already fused to the ham. I was glad I asked because I am not sure about the freshness of a somewhat pre-made sandwich.

The other sandwiches looked interesting, but I thought I would instead go with one of the two quiches.

The Quiche Lorraine has diced ham, Swiss cheese and egg custard, but I wanted something a little more and opted for the spinach and goat cheese quiche.

It was very soft on the inside, yet the crust was very firm. The spinach was plentiful, but the Swiss seemed to overpower the goat cheese and it left me wishing there was less Swiss and more goat cheese.

The dish comes with either potato salad or spring salad. The potato is a better bet. Though the seasoning on the red potato is a bit light and leaves them a bit bland, the salad is nothing more than red leaf and romaine, with no additional vegetables or any other toppings. I was a little intrigued by the dressing, which was a French curry vinaigrette.

I might be tempted in the future to get the soup instead. The tomato basil is the best of the three offered daily. The French onion was good, but I have had better. The other offering is a chicken vegetable.

The flatbread I had was a nice surprise. There is a bacon harvest with roasted vegetables and goat cheese, but I liked the pesto tomato flatbread better. The tomato was indeed fresh as advertised, and the mozzarella cheese was plentiful. I thought the pesto could have had a little more bite to it.

Breakfast may be a better way to go. The meal, which apparently is served all day, has some tantalizing items, such as crepes, organic oatmeal, a breakfast panini and a croissant sandwich.

This is a very serviceable restaurant that fits in a mall. The bakery part of the cafe is filled with several tasty desserts, and fresh baguettes are available. Don’t expect too much, and you won’t be disappointed.

Champagne French Bakery Cafe

Address: 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa, South Coast Plaza Bridge of Gardens, Costa Mesa, 1120 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach

Phone: (714) 429-1502, (714) 427-0808, (949) 646-0520

Website: www.champagnebakery.com

Cuisine: French

Specialty dish: Quiche

Alcohol served: limited wine

Entrée price range: $4.99 to $8.79

Family friendly: yes, three-item children’s menu

Credit cards accepted: MasterCard and Visa

Rating: ***

JOHN REGER reviews local restaurants and may be contacted at Nolimepublishing@aol.com or P.O. Box 2984, Seal Beach, CA 90740.