Francis Touboul owns the Atlantique Cafe in Delray Beach. Meghan McCarthy/The Post

This has been a very busy year for Delray Beach restaurateur Francis Touboul.

In spite of the floundering economy, the French native has forged ahead with plans to expand his Mediterranean eatery La Cigale (253 S.E. Fifth Ave.; 561-265-0600; lacigaledelray.com). On top of that, he’s also opened a separate breakfast and lunch spot, Atlantique Café (777 E. Atlantic Ave. in Atlantic Plaza, 561-272-1170).

There’s a smart strategy behind both moves. With Atlantique, Touboul saw an opportunity to create something that downtown Delray lacks — a sophisticated, bistro-style place for breakfast breads, sandwiches, salads and more. The fact that the café sits in a quiet, pedestrian-friendly plaza situated between the water (the Intracoastal) and downtown’s busiest stretch was also very important.

“To me, this is one of the most beautiful locations in Delray,” says Touboul.

Menu-wise, Atlantique Café allowed Touboul to stretch beyond his comfort zone of French and Mediterranean fare. To be sure, Atlantique offers croissants, a Nicoise salad and other European favorites. But it also offers eggs American-style, burgers, even a Philly cheese steak.

And if you want a morning cocktail, Atlantique is the rare breakfast spot to have a full bar, featuring everything from a Bellini to a Bloody Mary.

As a Frenchman, Touboul admits the menu might seem a stretch. But the restaurateur, who’s been in Palm Beach County for two decades, says he’s long been accustomed to dining the American way. “I love my eggs in the morning,” he adds.

At the same time, Touboul is trying to bring a French touch to as much as possible. Take his French fries — they’re not the frozen variety, but a true French fry (that is, double-fried for extra crispness).

Meanwhile, at La Cigale, Touboul is doing his share of tinkering. His expansion is with an eye on hosting catered events. The restaurant has always been one of downtown Delray’s unsung treasures — a modern-meets-Mediterranean eatery just a few blocks south of Atlantic. It’s also been a popular spot for weddings and other events. But Touboul couldn’t host sizable parties, especially if patrons wanted both a reception area for cocktails and a dining area for the main event.

That will change when the expansion is complete in the coming weeks. “We just booked a wedding for 130 people,” he says.

The changes have also inspired La Cigale chef Chad Zahn to revisit the menu. In the coming weeks, he plans to add several new items, such as flatbreads, a lobster risotto and osso bucco.

But while all this is taking place, La Cigale is open for business as usual, offering everything from foie gras (one of the best I’ve had locally) to Greek moussaka (that’s the Mediterranean influence). During the summer, the restaurant also features a four-course dinner for $29 (with a glass of wine) — the menu for that changes weekly, with each Mediterranean country (France, Spain, etc.) taking a turn in the rotation.

More French fare a la Julia Child

The new Julie & Julia movie is inspiring more local restaurateurs to add Julia Child-inspired dishes — or entire dinners — to their mix.

Just announced: Bogart’s Bar & Grille (the restaurant in the Cinemark Palace 20 in Boca Raton — 3200 Airport Road, 561-544-3044, bogartsofboca.com) is offering a three-course “Julie & Julia” menu ($28.95 to $32.95), with a glass of red wine and coffee or tea, during the run of the movie. Entrée choices include duck in orange sauce and sautéed beef tenderloin. And naturally, chocolate mousse is among the possibilities for dessert.

But back to La Cigale: In honor of the Julia Child pic, the Delray restaurant is keeping a recent beef Bourguignon special (the dish is a Child classic) on the menu for a little while longer. I tried it last week — and it’s about as hearty a version as you can imagine, replete with egg noodles. Think your basic beef stew taken to gourmet heights.

The Weekly Dish: Dairy Queen’s Blizzard

Call this ice cream with a cause. On Thursday, the folks at Dairy Queen will be hosting their fourth annual Miracle Treat Day. That means $1 or more from every Blizzard sold on that day will be donated to Children’s Miracle Network, a nonprofit organization that raises money for children’s hospitals. Last year’s Miracle Treat Day netted $4.5 million for 170 hospitals.

Is it any wonder that folks love their Blizzards? Though I don’t usually opt for my ice cream from a chain restaurant, I have to admit that I’ve always been hooked on Dairy Queen in general and the Blizzard in particular. Many have tried to copy the chain’s Blizzard formula for blending soft-serve with mix-ins, but no one gets as perfect a consistency as Dairy Queen. And here’s a tip: If you’re a chocoholic (like me), ask for your Blizzard to be made with the chocolate soft-serve.