The Korean BBQ Flank Steak Skewers appetizer, served with peanut sauce.

The Providence Journal / Sandor Bodo

There’s a new location, a (slightly) new name, a new drink menu, and even some new entrée items for an old downtown favorite.

The old Downcity Diner — as many continued to call it even after it was renamed Downcity Food + Cocktails several years after its 1990 launch — was destroyed when fire raced through its 151 Weybosset St. location almost two years ago. Happily, the homey touches and trademark comfort food live on at its new location in the former Weiss Stationery Building across from the Arcade. Now it’s called DownCity @ 50 Weybosset. But it was clear from the noisy crush of people that practically spilled out of the place from the bar on a recent Monday night that DownCity hadn’t lost its fan base.

Fortunately, the bar area cacophony was muted the farther back in the long, narrow restaurant one sat, turning into a pleasant hubbub as we were brought to a distant table. Fortunately, too, despite DownCity’s expansive new size, even the most ordinary-sounding items are still prepared with flair under the direction of executive chef Kristin Monmaney (and with entrée prices generally in the $20 or less range). Thus a char-grilled New York sirloin (at $23.50, the most expensive menu item) comes with melting roasted garlic, fresh thyme butter, crispy Parmesan potatoes and grilled vegetables; DownCity’s Uptown Crab Cakes ($19.50) are topped with a Green Goddess remoulade (delicious, declared a friend I brought for a later visit), plus vegetable slaw and sweet potato fries.

The place is long and narrow. There are two cozy wrap-around seats in the tall front windows. The long bar is separated from a group of small tables near the entrance by a staircase to a second-floor gallery that seats 50 and is used for private parties, lunch and the overflow on busy nights. Beyond the bar and staircase is a larger dining area with orange-colored seats and cream-colored banquettes under enormous shade-covered windows that begin at head height and extend almost up to the 16-foot ceilings. Although the shades were still closed on a later lunchtime visit, their transparency allowed the room to be flooded with diffused light.

Along one wall in the middle of the restaurant is the open kitchen, all gleaming stainless steel framed by a wall of tiny brown tiles. There’s a lot more orange in the décor, too, including the walls above the rear dining room and tall pillars that stretch to the second floor. With the white railings on the balcony and white backs on the banquette seats, it’s a little like walking into an orange Creamsicle.

Even the water closets are a sight to behold, what with their flat glass sinks which, for a moment, might lead you to believe the water will spurt out at you. I was even more fascinated by the toilet. Drop the lid and it doesn’t clank down, but descends slowly, elegantly.

Happily, despite all the changes, co-owners Abby Cabral and Rico Conforti have not only kept DownCity’s signature meatloaf in all its glory, it’s at the head of the dinner menu, which includes a world-traveling sample of everything from baked New England sea scallops to Spanish tapas to Korean barbecue flank steak skewers to country French veal stew and lamb shish kabob.

More on that meatloaf later, but first we tried to work our way through the 50-martini drink menu designed by Cabral, who used to be a part-time bartender at Union Station Brewery . It’s cutely called “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”; some of the drinks have names like “Get on the Bus Gus,” “Make a New Plan Stan” and “No Need to Be Coy Roy.” Cute, cute, cute, but not cheap. When the bill came, we discovered that my dining companion’s “Thanks for Playin’ ‘’ (a very smooth sangria, with orange, peach, raspberry and cranberry vodka) was a steep $11.50, while my “Your Future X” (Stoli strawberry, strawberry schnapps) was $10. They were very tall, though, and pretty . . . and pretty strong. Before ordering one of these, you might make sure you have a designated driver.

The appetizer menu, while not large, has so many tempting offerings it also was difficult narrowing it down. Certainly the Spanish tapas platter ($10.50), with its potato and onion frittata, red wine meatballs and spinach and Gouda empanadillas, promised a good sampling. Choosing a second appetizer proved more complicated as we weighed the merits of a grilled Portuguese pizza, a raspberry and hot pepper baked Brie with crostini or a roasted vegetable platter. The eventual winner was the Korean BBQ flank steak skewers ($10.50), four good-sized pieces that came in a little metal vase with a ramekin of peanut sauce on the side. Our affable waiter, Nick, said it would be fairly spicy, but was not. But then with the steak barbecued in a sauce of roasted garlic, sesame oil and honey, how spicy could it have been? We loved it, the thin-sliced meat wonderfully tender and even slightly sweet, with just a hint of a kick.

Each tapas platter item was distinct. Two empanadillas, those pockets of dough stuffed with spinach, had been lightly fried to a pleasing crispness and drizzled with melted mild Gouda, sort of a milder version of a spinach pie. The two large slices of the onion and potato frittata combined the tastes of both vegetables. However, after first trying the empanadillas and, especially, the red wine meatballs that arrived in a hearty sauce, the frittatas seemed a bit bland. So I dipped some pieces into the sauce and — vavoom! (On another visit we were impressed by the tenderness of the calamari, at $11.50, and ingredients that included hot and sweet peppers, red onion and a sweet touch of balsamic syrup. The Portuguese pizza, at $14.50, won raves for its chourico and pepper jack cheese topping a rich marinara and sautéed peppers and onions.)

The fabled meatloaf was just as luscious as I recall from a visit to the old Downcity (and just as luscious again on a repeat visit eight days later). Because it was a Monday, not only had $3 been knocked off the normal $18.50 price, it also came with a free glass of red wine. The plate held a couple of large, fairly thick slices in a caramelized onion demiglace. They were moist and full of the flavor of the meat, more medium rare (if you can rate meatloaf) than the sometimes overcooked pale brownish-gray meatloaf you find elsewhere. On the side were rich-tasting buttermilk mashed potatoes and corn that the menu said was right off the cob. No one could dispute that claim after one forkful, which had the taste of summertime.

Nick, who had by now grown so comfortable with us that he briefly sat down at our table like an old friend, steered me toward the baked sea scallops “New England-style” ($21.50), which he said, hands down, was his all-time favorite. Who could argue with a recommendation like that?

One bite and I could only agree. The six moist, tender scallops sat in a puddle of a creamy sauce of bacon, sherry and melted Vermont Cheddar. Yet there was no heavy flavor of either the bacon or cheese, just a mild, slightly salty cream sauce that complemented the scallops. A mound of delicate basmati rice was a perfect accompaniment, along with a large portion of crisp-tender green beans, so many that I couldn’t finish them.

We also split a good-sized portion of sweet potato fries. Cut thick, they were more moist than crisp and crunchy. Perfectly fine, however, and they had a thin, slightly crispy coating. Done this way, they didn’t lose their sweet potato flavor.

All the desserts are made in house. My dining companion’s vanilla crème brulee ($7.50) was wonderfully sweet and light, with a thin, crispy crust that had been prepared just right. Although my choice was billed as a fruit crisp ($8.50), the only fruit in it was tender apples in a light sauce, topped by a crunchy oatmeal and brown sugar crust that had itself been topped with fresh whipped cream. It was yummy, but such a big portion that I couldn’t finish it. And I always finish dessert.

The lunch proved an equal attraction. My open-faced garden tuna salad melt ($8.50) was served on toasted whole-grain bread. A big mound of tuna salad, which included bits of celery and carrots, it was topped by grilled onions and melted Cheddar, a wonderful mix of flavors and textures. On the side was a more-than-I-could-eat portion of crisp-on-the-outside, moist-on-the-inside tater tots.

Although it was more than an hour past noon, the place had attracted a large lunch crowd with more coming in, even close to 2 p.m. Clearly the public agrees that DownCity hasn’t lost its touch @ 50 Weybosset.BILL OF FARE

Dinner for two at DownCity @ 50 Weybosset might look something like this:

Thanks for Playin’…$11.50

Your Future X…$10.00

Tapas platter…$10.50

Baked sea scallops…$21.50

Meatloaf…$18.50

Crème brulee…$7.50

Total food and drink…$79.50

Tax…$6.36

Tip…$16.00

Total bill…$101.86

DownCity @ 50 Weybosset, 50 Weybosset St., Providence. (401) 331-9217, www.downcityfood.com. Casual. Handicapped accessible. Reservations. Child seats. AE, MC, V, DIS. Free valet parking Thu.-Sat. nights. Lunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; dinner 4 to 10 p.m. daily; late night casual menu to midnight Fri.-Sat.; brunch 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun. Appetizers $4.50 to $14.50. Entrees $9.50 to $23.50. Wines are $6.50 to $10 by the glass; $21 to $70 for a bottle.

mjanuson@projo.com