Claude Musquin, the Gascon-born chef-owner of Le Bouchon, opened this unfussy French restaurant on the western edge of the Pearl District nearly ten years ago. And though the neighborhood has long gone glitz, Musquin still speaks the language of middlebrow bistro food. Solid renditions of cassoulet, bouillabaisse, and confit de canard find their familiar spots on the classic menu, along with a fabulous feuilletage l’orée du bois puff pastry plump with a trio of mushrooms and brie set over a musky garlic cream sauce. The potted escargots are exactly as they should be: fleshy, garlicky, and just rich enough to leave you wanting more. The same might be said about the very basic wine list, peculiar considering the restaurant is named after the French word for “cork.” But you didn’t come here to be swept off your feet. Le Bouchon is the kind of homey neighborhood joint you drop into once a month because you fancy the familiar: French food without the frills. You know you’ll be greeted warmly and fed well. Isn’t that how a trip to the old neighborhood should be?