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Elephant Walk
Categories: Restaurants French Restaurants Cambodian French, Cambodian [Edit]
900 Beacon St(between Keswick St & Park Dr)
Boston, MA 02215
Neighborhood: Fenway
(617) 247-1500
- Nearest Transit:
-
Park Dr @ Beacon St (47, 57, CT2)
Saint Mary St - Inbound (Green Line)
Saint Mary St - Outbound (Green Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri, Sun 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
288 reviews for Elephant Walk
Review Highlights
"I can't recommend the Loc Lac cubed beef more highly."
(in 32 reviews)
"I had the Poulet la Citronnelle and it was amazing."
(in 9 reviews)
"I think the passion fruit mousse."
(in 10 reviews)
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288 reviews in English
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Review from Albert W.
If you're around Fenway Park or Boston University, take the time to walk five minutes to experience some Khmer cuisine with French presentation and service. If you're into Vietnamese or Thai food, you'll definitely appreciate the dishes at Elephant Walk. The prices are reasonable and the menu is moderately authentic as well. The from room gets a lot of natural light and a great spot to stop in for lunch.
Their curry aux crevettes with shrimp and a spicy base was well balanced and had a good mix of ingredients. The Vietnamese inspired beef luc lac is so tender and well worth ordering. Their menu is pretty decent, and the server was honest and frank about recommendation as well.
PROS:
- Good location.
- The three course tasting menu offers a good balance between variety and value.
- High quality food that's flavorful and affordable.
CONS:
- Doesn't seem too focused on Cambodian food in particular and seems to cover a range of pan-Asian (specifically southeast Asian) dishes in passing. -
Review from Katherine C.
Boston, MA
1/13/2012
By far the best place to eat in Boston!
I've used a few social buy-in coupons here, I get them for gifts because my friends/family know I love this place.
It is a bit pricey, but the menu is worth every cent! As a vegetarian, sometimes it can be hard to have access to an entire menu. At Elephant Walk they are extremely accomodating and can make just about anything vegan/vegetarian friendly.
The Curry de Legumes is amazing and the vegan spring rolls are a great way to start of the meal.
Interesting atmosphere, amazing drink choices, everyone should check this place out! I cannot recommend it enough! -
Review from Leslie L.
Boston, MA
1/10/2012
I had a Groupon for this place, and I had never tried it. I sat on that Groupon for many, many, months, then decided that I was going to use it or lose it, so Vegan Me invited Gluten-Intolerant gal pal to accompany. They have both a gluten-free AND a vegan menu.... um... can you say PARADISE?
Perfect place for both of us. The waiter was patient and worked with the kitchen as my friend also cannot have soy or milk products. She ordered some type of soup, as well as a shrimp and chicken dish of some sort.
I ordered the spring rolls which were outstanding. Fresh, crisp, definitely NOT from a prepackaged container. They were very dense and greasy, like a wonderful carnival treat, but better!
For dinner I ordered the thin rice noodles with some type of curry and spice sauce. It was soooooo good.
Service was outstanding, and our waiter was so patient with us. We went on a Saturday, but we went nice and early when they first opened at 5 PM, so that our dietary restraints. But he didn't make us feel as though we were holding him up or inconveniencing anyone.
Sure, the dining room was a bit chilly, despite it being mild outside, but it was okay.
I'm definitely going back! -
Review from John F.
Brookline, MA
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I first started going to Elephant Walk 20 years ago. I remember fresh flavors and clean taste.
The GroupOn Tour has brought us back. I good place to take Grammy and the kids for a pre New Year's lunch.
We ordered the Somlah Machou (shrimp and garlic soup), two old stand byes: Loc Lac and Poulet à la Citronnelle, the Steak and Frites and the Curry aux Crevettes.
First our server was spot on. Helpful and there when we needed her. The seating was handled by the bartender who seemed confused (not his fault...it is really not his job).
The food was tried. Good but tired. The price points were $8 (for the soup) to $16.95 (steak). The old stand byes seemed phone in. No pop of flavor. I remember being wowed in the old days by the brightness of the food. Not so wowed now.
The Steak was ordered medium well so I could not fairly judge but the steak was nothing really flavorful and the Frites were not memorable.
The Curry aux Crevettes had some nice heat and had the most flavor on the table.
The soup was filled with wonderful garlic and had four or five shrimp but the shrimp was frozen and could of used some tender loving care before they were placed in the soup. And like the rest the soup did not pop with fresh flavor like in the past.
The main dining room looked freshly painted which was good but the bathrooms need a make over. A new coat of paint on the doors would go a long way.
The other server and bartender had a loud conversation about a TV show while we ate and we didn't need that.
I can get brighter food an cheaper prices near by and not a place I would take my wife for a big not out. So a lunch with the kids and Grammy seemed perfect for this spot. $100 for five is middle of the road pricing.
And judging by the rest of the diners we seemed to fit right in with the causal family crowd.
Nice....but nothing that would make me yearn to return. -
Review from Sasha B.
Brighton, MA
1/10/2012 Seated via OpenTable 3 Check-ins Here
The food is amazing, the staff are friendly, and it's a great place to come on a date or catch up with a friend.
If you are planning to use a Groupon (or the like) and it is nearing expiration DEFINITELY call ahead and make a reservation. Heck, save yourself and make a reservation regardless.
Try the passion fruit mousse! It is to DIE FOR! -
Review from Danny B.
Boston, MA
12/19/2011
The other reviews here offer great suggestions for dishes to try and I echo their thoughts on the ambiance, so I will only highlight the best part of Elephant Walk: the prix fixe menu. Do it. Seriously. My fellow foodie friend and I spent about 20 minutes strategizing what to try so we could each taste various dishes and get a good mix of the Cambodian and French options, only to be amazed by the pragmatic offering of the fixed menu.
You can choose a selection of three or four courses depending on your budget or hunger level, and your dining experience can become a world tour of European and Asian cuisines with a few more minutes of perusal of the menu. I'm no expert in Asian dishes or flavors, but everything we had was great, our favorite being the nataing starter with ground pork, coconut milk, and peanut sauce. However, I have just returned from a semester in Europe where I pretended to be a food critic at every dining experience (in my own head, of course) and the roasted chicken and gnocchi were impressive American versions of those served in France or Italy.
So head to Elephant Walk for a world tour of fine cuisines that won't disappoint.Listed in: Boston
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Review from David V.
Updated - 12/20/2011 5 photos
I recently ate at the Elephant Walk for the second time (jn 2 years) and I still have positive things to say about it. This most recent visit was for an office lunch, and we were all very happy with our food. I went with the "Lunch Tasting Menu" and started with the Salade Cambodgienne, and had the Trey Tuk Peng Pah (catfish) for my entree. Both the salad and the entree were delicious! The catfish was fried, but it was not greasy or heavy, and it was served in an amazing tomato broth. The flavors in both dishes were like nothing I had ever experienced before (I mean that in a good way). For dessert I had a tropical fruit mousse (can't recall the exact name). I give 5 starts for the FOOD.
The SERVICE on the other hand could have been better. Our server was quick, efficient, and accurate, so there are no complaints there. However, she kind of scared all of us. She was obviously very busy, so I can sympathize, but she was a little impatient with some of my colleagues when it came to questions about the menu. If she had just attempted a fake smile to show that she was not an angry person, maybe things would've been a little better. For service, based on this experience, I give 3 stars.
Overall, I have been impressed with the food here both times that I've visited, so I do recommend it.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/15/2010
Very nice restaurant, our server was excellent. The Cambodian food was delicious-the flavors were… Read more »
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Review from Jenn S.
12/12/2011
I've been wanting to go to Elephant Walk for about 10 years (every since we didn't go for my college graduation dinner), and it was worth the wait!
Was it the most amazing food I've ever had? No. But it was definitely VERY tasty and some of the dishes were very unique.
Based on some Yelp recommendations, my husband & I ordered the Nataing appetizer: Ground pork simmered in coconut milk with sliced garlic, peanuts and chili pods; served with crispy rice. Although the rice was a bit hard to break, this was VERY delicious and not at all spicy.
We also shared the Salade de Feta au Concombre: Field baby greens, English cucumber, cherry tomato, red onion and Vermont Feta cheese mixed with fresh herbs, lemon zest, crème fraiche and extra virgin olive oil. Apparently the feta soaks in the crème fraiche before being put on the salad, but this was still a light, tasty salad. I did ask for the oil & vinegar on the side, which did not happen, but oh well.
For my entrée, I decided on the Poulet à la Citronnelle, even though a previous Yelper stated that it was "unremarkable." However, the description had me wanting to give it a try: Sliced chicken breast sautéed with lemongrass, onion, red bell pepper and scallion; sprinkled with freshly roasted, crushed peanuts.
Personally? I LOVED this. I ate maybe half of it and my husband happily had the leftovers for dinner the next night. I would totally order this again. It tasted very much like a Thai dish to me and while it didn't blow my mind, I found it to be very enjoyable.
My husband went for the Steak Frites: Grilled flat iron steak with a creamy Roquefort sauce; shoestring French fries and a watercress salad with shallot and balsamic vinaigrette...
This was different than we expected, as the steak came already sliced (nothing wrong with that) and COVERED in Roquefort sauce. Now, the sauce was very good, but there was a bit too much of it.
Overall, we both really enjoyed our meal. And considering my husband has been fighting me in going for several years (he went YEARS ago and didn't like it), that's saying a lot!
It can definitely get pricey - even with a $40 Groupon, we ended up paying about $34 out-of-pocket including tip - and only ordered 2 apps and 2 entrees...
I would definitely go back though - it's such a vast menu with so many delicious-sounding options! -
Review from Jessica D.
Brookline, MA
1/8/2012
This is one of Boston's consistently best restaurants. I have eaten here 6 times in the last 18 months and I've never been disappointed! The food is mouth watering delicious, bursting with flavor, amazing! It's great for adventurous foodies and more conservative eaters, offering both Cambodian and French dishes. Tonight I had the Tofu Curry - pan seared organic tofu topped with grilled zucchini, buttercup squash, asparagus, portabella and eggplant in a green ginger curry with rice on the side. This was delicious, not too spicy but had a nice little kick to it.
I Love that the Gluten Free menu is big and the specials can sometimes be made gluten free too! Now you just need gluten free bread! -
Review from Emma B.
Boston, MA
12/19/2011
Thank you Groupon for making Elephant Walk accessible to my struggling college student budget. I went here with my foodie partner in crime this past weekend and we had a lovely experience.
After spending 15 minutes struggling to pick just one item on the menu, we discovered the prie fixed menu - a 30 dollar three course menu with our top picks from the main menu. Being the deal savvy people we are, we went with this fixed menu and between the two of us picked a variety of both French and Cambodian dishes in order to maximize the types of food we could try.
In the almost three hours that we were there (definitely not a quick grab-and-go restaurant) we experienced the most diverse combinations of food. The nataing has a wonderful mix of peanut and pork, the potato gnocchi and on the bone chicken had the most amazing mix of creamy white wine and tomato sauces, and the chocolate truffle cake was drizzled with raspberry and the perfect ending to our meal. We ordered coffee with dessert as well and probably could have passed on that. Nothing special there which is a shame because that could have be an opportunity for the elephant walk to bring in some authentic french or cambodian brews.
I definitely recommend this restaurant if you're looking to try something new. The menu has a diverse selection of french and cambodian cuisines with an impressive vegetarian and vegan selection. The atmosphere is warm but classy and although a little on the expensive side, it's worth it. -
Review from Karen K.
San Francisco, CA
10/3/2011
Juxtapositioning my less than stellar experience this weekend was the great service and delicious food at the Elephant Walk.
The Sunday prix fixe is an phenomenal deal. For $20 you can get 3 courses (starter - a spring roll or 2 croissants, a soup, and a main) plus a mimosa and unlimited coffee.
The service is also great. We were seated away from the window and when we requested a seat by the window, they did their best to accommodate us.
Everything was delicious and worth every penny. One of my favorite places in Boston! -
Review from Kelsey C.
10/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I will keep my review literal and to-the-point, exactly like Elephant Walk's menu. What you see is what you get here, and though it's well-made, the exorbitant prices are enough to deter even the most willing student-splurger.
For example, the menu bothers me a bit. This place is supposed to be Cambodian and French. And it is. There is Cambodian and there is French. You may choose the Cambodian or you may choose the French. We chose the Cambodian.
The vegetarian Rouleaux - traditional Cambodian spring rolls with a French name. The spring rolls were a little greasier than I would have liked, but the tasty veggie filling wrapped in a fresh basil leaf with a sweet dipping sauce "fused" into what was probably the best spring roll I've ever had.
The veggie entrée was so unremarkable I literally don't remember what it was. I think it was the Tofu Citronnelle but don't quote me on that...It was a stirfry I could have made at home for far less than the $17 they had the nerve to charge.
I rarely comment on the price of things, but the Khar Saiko Kroeung was equally overpriced. To be fair, the shortrib was flavorful and perfectly braised, but $18.95 should at least buy me cooked cukes...
Overall, Elephant Walk is a place that makes good food, and the amazing flavor and tenderness of my shortrib is undeniable, but what you see is what you get. And I will probably be neither seeing nor getting Elephant Walk again. -
Review from Mal D.
Westwood, MA
1/3/2012
Took my family for lunch during Christmas week with a Groupon. It's a bit off the tourist path, so it wasn't very crowded. Our server was courteous, prompt and friendly. The food was very good, a crisp catfish dish (Trey Tuk Peng Pah) was delicious as was a beef dish and chicken and rice noodles dish, all from the Classic Cambodian menu. One member of our party had a tofu (substituted for chicken to make it vegan) dish that was a little lacking in flavor. There wasn't all that much food, and our teenage son was hungry (as always), but it was lunch after all and we'll take quality over quantity. One more note: I did not let this influence my rating but our only complaint was the restrooms, which were noticeably unsanitary.
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Review from k b.
Boston, MA
12/31/2011
Had a fabulous dinner here last night and everything was exquisite. Yes it is a bit pricey, but it's hard to complain when everything is so delicious. Nothing like value for what you pay... So come to Elephant Walk!
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Review from Michael D.
Boston, MA
10/17/2011
We really enjoyed the food and the place had a very cool atmosphere -- nice lighting, good decor -- and this would likely be a 4-star rating had our service been near or above decent. Instead it was borderline mediocre. I can forgive an occasional time lag for food or drinks (yeah, I probably would have drank one more beer, no big deal), but when a prolonged evening becomes more prolonged with a dessert that needed reminding-about and a coffee order that never materialized... I can't forgive that.
However, I would go back. And there's no shame in three stars! (One or two stars = shame. Three is still pretty good, folks.) -
Review from Neha J.
Boston, MA
12/12/2011
Husband and I ate there this weekend. We'd never tried Cambodian food before so we were open minded yet excited about our experience. As lovers of all sorts of far east influences on food, we didn't think we could go wrong...
We each ordered the 3 course prix-fixe menu. We had the "Nataing" starter - tasty but very rich and very sweet, "Salade de Feta au Concombre" salad (it's a basic salad), the "Leah Chah" mussels - flavorful but lacking inspiration, the "Crevettes Amrita" and the "Poulet à la Citronnelle" entrees - both may have had good flavor underneath but the sweetness and sugariness of both curries so overwhelming they competed with the dessert menu. To end it all we had the "Le Péché au Chocolat" a chocolate truffle cake with raspberry sauce that was good.
Decor is beautiful with earthy, warm and sensual colors. Romantic place for a meal. However, we won't be going back there. If I ever wanted to replicate the meal I ate there, I would make an thai inspired curry and throw in half a bucket of sugar and save the $90 I spent there. I think we will be sticking to Thai food which will always be one of our favorites. -
Review from Oriana S.
Brookline, MA
8/24/2011
Pros:
I'm a fan of the food here. I recommend a couple of top notch dishes:
-Nataing (ground pork in coconut milk and spices with crispy rice crackers)
-Khar Saiko Kroeung (braised boneless ribs, jasmine rice. THIS DISH IS FANTASTIC. The meat is so succulent and the jasmine rice is buttery and flavorful. You will not be disappointed).
-Salad Cambodgienne (a salad with shredded cabbage, carrot, chicken etc. Crunchy and healthy tasting- best to share this because the portions are enormous).
-Mee Siem au Poulet (Rice noodles sauteed in a sauce of chicken breast, vegetables, tofu, garlic etc.)
Everything on the menu sounds amazing, but these are the ones I've tried and I highly recommend them!
Cons:
On the pricey side. Restaurant ambience is just okay. The beer my friend ordered was flat (however, the waitress replaced it really quickly with another beer). -
Review from Erica C.
Boston, MA
9/30/2011
I am sad to see this currently only has 3.5 stars! The Elephant Walk may even be my favorite restaurant in Boston. (And I have recently tallied - I have been to 122!)
To sum it up:
-Soothing atmosphere
-Great service
-Great prices - not too expensive and worth every penny
-Yummy cocktails
-EXCELLENT FOOD all around... and I have tried a lot here
I have been here many times with my husband, friends, and my family. My whole family is crazy for the crispy grouper with the tomatoes and cilantro. I have to try hard to stray from ordering it every time! (Too lazy to look up the crazy names of the menu items right now!)
I also love a lot of the appetizers. The thing that has the crispy rice that you dip in a delicious pork sauce. OMGGGG. To die for. Also the avocado soup, the fresh spring rolls, etc. Again, I stres, everything I have eaten here has been just so delicious.
I have also been here for restaurant week twice, actually by accident the second time around. :) They have a great selection for the menu during that time period. -
Review from Trevor P.
Boston, MA
1/13/2012
Delicious food. Creative and expansive menu. Great (very reasonable) lunch menu.
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Review from David C.
7/14/2011
I've been meaning to try The Elephant Walk since I moved to Brookline last September, but I only just got around to it last weekend after purchasing a Groupon online.
I went with a few friends for brunch, and we all enjoyed what we had. I got the $19.95 Prix Fixe special, which came with my choice of appetizer, soup/salad, and entree. I ordered the Rouleaux, B'baw Mouan, and Poulet à la Citronnelle (obviously I opted for The Elephant Walk's Cambodian fair, but my friends' croissants and omelets were all delicious). Of those three dishes, the only one I was disappointed with was the Rouleaux, a fried spring-roll with very little flavor.
The B'baw Mouan (I made a fool of myself trying to pronounce the names of these dishes) was delicious. TEW's menu describes this dish as "A hearty rice soup with chicken breast, fried garlic, bean sprouts, scallion, cilantro, and lime," and that about sums it up. It actually reminded me of pho in flavor, and I really enjoyed the texture of the rice.
My entree was a chicken dish sauteed with vegetables, topped with ground peanuts, and served with white rice. A savory lemongrass sauce brought the whole thing together. I would definitely order this on its own, and at only $9.95 outside the prix fixe, it's an incredibly good deal.
By this point I was incredibly full, but I managed to find room for dessert when I saw that they had a cinnamon apple crepe. It was de-lish, and a great way to end a lovely meal. -
Review from Celeste C.
Jamaica Plain, MA
7/18/2011 Seated via OpenTable 2 Check-ins Here
I really like trying new cuisines and like to feel like a classy lady, so I'd wanted to go to the Elephant Walk for years. And I went, twice, with some Groupons I had bought. The food was good. The service was good. The patrons seem happy, as they sup with their friends and relatives.
I'm not sure why I'm not in love with it. Maybe cause it's kind of pricey and I'm not really the classy lady I sometimes pretend to be. It's the type of place I would like to be taken for a special occasion, but in regular life, feel as though I can do without. -
Review from Lady M.
Boston, MA
9/26/2011
There was something ridiculously yummy about my veggie curry! The veggies were crisp and fresh and the sauce was just perfectly sweet and vaguely spicy. Everyone at my table was totally consumed in their dinner. Had a delicious glass of red (decently priced) to accompany the meal as well.
We had a really friendly waitor who was very helpful in navigating the menu to my friend who is on a strict gluten-free diet. The decor is beautiful with rich golds and reds and dark wood, and they light it really nicely with candles after dark.
There were so many things that looked delicious on the menu, my only ocmplaint would be that it's too expensive for me to try them all! -
Review from Kelly O.
8/17/2011
2 words: Crevettes Amrita. Shrimp (or fried tofu, should that be better suited to you), a mix of veggies (mushrooms, onions, bamboo shoots, scallions), and a large scoop of white rice all bathed in the most delicious and complex sauce, a curry-like flavor that's both sweet and a tad bit spicy and contains a billion different ingredients all working together in perfect harmony. This dish is ridiculously flavorful and worth coming here for alone, and you can bet I'll be back to have it again.
Today's trip was with some coworkers for a Restaurant Week lunch, and I'd been here a few times before in years past and loved it, so I was excited to return. Love the 2-course option they had on option for RW, as I'm usually too stuffed to really enjoy my RW dessert anyways, so I just went with the Rouleaux to start with and the Crevettes Amrita as my main. Good thing too, because I was totally stuffed afterwards and very satisfied.
The Rouleaux were a past favorite app of mine, and although I thought they seemed a bit blander today than they had previously (or maybe my memory just sucks?), they were still great. I love the idea of rolling up a fried pork-stuffed stick in a piece of lettuce with some bean sprouts, mint, and basil, and then dunking it into a peanut-laden sauce. Mmm. Everyone else at the table were very pleased with their own choices as well... the St. Louis ribs in particular were a massive portion and a great deal for RW.
I thought there was a bit too much lag time in between courses, especially for it being during a work day lunch (plus RW), but the service was generally attentive and helpful (our waitress helped explain how to handle the Rouleaux) and the atmosphere was comfortable. An excellent pick for an RW lunch, and I'll definitely be back for more (Tip: they're on http://restaurant.com). -
Review from Trang N.
Hyattsville, MD
7/20/2011
If you're not used to fusion places, you won't appreciate this place.
For the prices here though, I think the food should have a bit more flavor. Everything I ordered seemed quite bland.
The service was good, the server seemed to handle my pickiness well! I am a fan of this place, but next time I'm in Boston, I'll have to try something different. This place isn't worth me going out of my way for. -
Review from David M.
Marietta, GA
9/4/2011
We visited last week while dropping our child at school - my brother in law had recommended it
We really enjoyed our meal - the wait service was very nice and helpful (lots of choices and the guidance was well informed) and the atmosphere is casual and comfy
What we really liked was how different the menu was - the fusion of the French and Thai was really interesting. Also, since we had vegetarians with us, it was great that there are so many options for them (also note that they have a full gluten free menu too)
We tried a range of foods (ribs, tuna, spring rolls, salad, and more) and everything was excellent. Another nice surprise was dessert - we shared one of the chocolate "tortes" and I have to say it was excellent
One last thing - the restaurant donates 3 percent of profits to charity - another nice reason to go and enjoy
Give it a shot - you will not regret it! -
Review from Che S.
WOODLAND HLS, CA
7/20/2011
Not gonna beat around the bush here. i am not a gigantic fan of the one in cambridge. Never had the breakfast their, never had the dinner here.
For all I know it's this one thing that I like..........
THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE IN THE BOSTON AREA THAT HAS ANYTHING CLOSE TO RESEMBLING AN AUTHENTIC FRENCH CROISSANT!
You've never been to france if you don't know why that's in caps.
You go their and eat at au bon bon and say "ah dude I used to like that stuff". The metro in porter square used to have slightly better authentic stuff..... it's closed. Go for breakfast or brunch. I'm pretty sure the breakfast sausages were that of the finest restaurants as well.
Tried the cambodian for dinner, now try the brunch! -
Review from Matt D.
Boston, MA
5/21/2011
The BF and I went to Elephant Walk last night for a combination birthday/graduation/new job dinner; lots to celebrate, and no dissappointment whatsoever in the meal we had.
We both had a couple of cocktails and selections from the fixed price menu; 4 courses for I think around 33$ per person.
Pete started off with the Nataing, which was to DIE FOR. GET THIS APPETIZER; its ground pork cooked in seasoned coconut milk with toasted rice, like rice crackers, made from jasmine rice. We dove into it with a spoon.
I got the rouleaux, fried springrolls with lettuce leaves and bean sprouts and a lively dipping sauce, which were good, but they couldnt hold a candle to the nataing.
Second courses were equally good; I had a salad of mixed greens with asian pear, grapefruit, toasted chevre, and a wonderfully dark mushroom spiked soy; it was amazing. Dark and flavourful but bright and crisp and clean... fantastic. The perfect salad.
The BF had ravioles with I think shrimp and scallion mousse in a fantastic sauce with chunks of squash; I have a light seafood allergy so I didnt grab a bite, but the scent was heavenly.
Entreewise, well.... you've heard it before, but the Loc Lac marinated beef chunks hit it out of the park; note to future diners, pour a bit of the lemon ginger garlic dipping sauce over your mound of plain white rice; it made the whole thing utterly, unquestionably, amazing (the diners at the table beside us joked about my moaning. Yes; it was audible.) Pete's entree, on the other hand, a bone in chicken breast in fines herbes with pasta wasnt fireworks-grade spectacular.... it was good, but just not AS good as the other options.
Dessert's passionfruit mousse was AMAZING; small slips of fully ripe and juicy golden pineapple to go with, and mango/raspberry sauces... I was in heaven. He got the chocolate torte with sabayon and raspberry, and while it was good Im more a passionfruit guy than I am a chocolate guy.
Ive read a few comments here about unfriendly service; This friday night, with the BU graduation and the hordes of people that had descended (the restaurant was quite busy) our waitress Janet was wonderful; incredibly nice, attentive, very well informed of ingredients and flavour combinations... girl deserves a raise. Perfect waitress. ;) Steered me right in terms of a lovely pear martini (other drinks were also great, though the lemon ginger could have used a little more bite; it was sweet ginger and we both expected a little heat from it... but the orange/blackberry sour is DEFINITELY a cocktail to recommend )
We'll be back. ;) -
Review from Sarah C.
Brookline, MA
1/2/2012
I've eaten here twice and both times I was really excited, but left disappointed. If I hadn't used a Groupon for this meal, I would have left furious at spending $60 for such lackluster food.
On my visit this week I had the worst service I've ever experienced at a restaurant- we had a male server who didn't introduce himself, just blasted by and asked if we wanted a drink, and then we didn't see him for over 20 minutes- he hadn't taken our order! I had to get up and ask the hostess where he was. She was very apologetic and friendly, so points for that, but when the waiter finally showed up he mumbled a lame apology and he still barely spoke to us for the rest of the night. I was really shocked by this service since the place was only 1/3 full at most.
Food - I ordered a seared tuna dish that just disappointed on all levels. I'm a raw tuna lover, and this was not a great piece of tuna- it was mushy and soft. It was over two red and green sauces, neither of which I liked nor which complimented the tuna (my fellow diner agreed). It was served with fried pear ravioli which sounded great on the menu, but they were oily and bland and made NO SENSE with the dish. I was really confused as to why these were on the plate, and who wants to eat greasy pear bits in a tasteless wonton wrapper?
The last time I went, about a year ago, I remember having a risotto special and while I was blown away by how tasty the roasted leeks on the plate were, the risotto was bland.
Bottom line: I don't even think the meal was worth paying even the Groupon price, which seemed like a steal as I read the menu. Very overpriced with poor quality and poor flavor combinations. -
Review from BL W.
Cotati, CA
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
We liked the fusion of Cambodian/French and other elements. Pleasant seating in the front area with nice natural lighting. The sauces served our dishes well. The staff on the Sunday late lunch shift were very friendly, prompt, attentive, without being cloying or invasive.
We found the ambiance conducive to conversation, which was important for us as we caught up with relatives as we visited from out of town. -
Review from Binh L.
3/15/2011 1 photo
The things that I love from Elephant Walk: beef. Seriously, they can do beef. Shrimp is at a second.
Dishes I loved:
Nom Pang B'Kong Chea - The shrimp is perfect. I have nothing else useful to add. It is not too salty or soft. Firm and juicy is a win! (That's what she said.)
Khar Saiko (or the Loc Lac) - The braised beef was so tender and delicious. If you know anything about Vietnamese food, it is quite like thit kho. Yum.
The restaurant week special was pretty awesome for four courses, and I filled up quite fast. I struggled to get to dessert. I think this location is nicer than the Porter Square. What it lacks in the exotic decor and space, it makes up for it in intimacy and coziness. You want to fall in love with the lighting like this.
Warning.. when they say their dessert is tart, it will be tart. My friend didn't expect it and it sorta ruined dessert.Listed in: Date Places
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Review from Anya S.
4/30/2011
Went here for my "all done with law school classes" dinner.
I heard really good reviews, but perhaps my expectations were too high and I was somewhat disappointed.
Appetizer - I ordered the duck crepe, which was amazing, the duck was perfectly cooked and it wasn't too fat, and the crepe was thin and yummy. That was the best dish of all that I tried there.
Main course - I had the salmon, I also tried the steak that my friend ordered, which was ordinary. The other two ordered pork, so I didnt try their dishes, but they seemed to be satisfied. The salmon was cooked well, but that was it, it was a simple salmon, nothing special. The potatoes which came with it were undercooked and hard. Disappointing, considering it was $24.
Deserts - we ordered two, Marjolaine and the flourless chocolate cake. They were ok, but not worth $8. Marjolaine was not creamy enough nor cakey enough, I am not sure if its suppose to be that way, but it was somewhat weird tasting.
Service - they were a little backed up, and it took a while for the food to come out. Our server seemed to be just tired. He did his job but without much enthusiasm but with courtesy.
I probably will not be back unless someone else is paying, but if you do go, order the duck crepe. -
Review from Jenessa C.
Boston, MA
10/19/2011
Some of the best food I've eaten in Boston. Ordered the 4 course meal from the fixed price menu, a reasonable $30 something for 4 courses and everything was delicious. The highlight was the Lac Louc, a beef dish & the passion fruit desert.
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Review from Kena K.
Lowell, MA
10/17/2011
My verdict for Elephant Walk: If you are not Cambodian or unfamiliar with authentic Cambodian cuisine, you will love Elephant Walk. If you are Cambodian or familiar with Cambodian cuisine, you will definitely be disappointed - not enough spices and not as rich in flavor to represent true Cambodian dishes.
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Review from Kenny C.
I remember passing by this place all the time when I was a poor college student at BU. I'd heard from multiple people that the food was great, but never had a chance to dine there. So when I was planning a trip up to Boston to see a friend, I made it a priority to go to Elephant Walk. And it was every bit as good as I imagined!
Our reservations were for the last day of summer Restaurant Week 2011. We showed up 15 minutes early to the restaurant and were promptly seated. I think the fact that it was Hurricane Irene weekend may have contributed to it being a little emptier than usual.
The Prix Fixe dinner menu had a lot of choices, all of which sounded great. My friend and I both opted for the four course option with dessert (it was $33.11 instead of $29.95). I started with the pork spring rolls, and our server took the time to explain how best to eat it with the lettuce, sprouts and dipping sauce (a very nice gesture). For the second course, I had the blue mussels. They were warm and full of flavor (plentiful as well!). For the main course, I went with the pan-roasted East coast cod fillet with cheese gnocchis (in wine cream sauce and tomato confit). The fish was cooked to perfection and brought out the natural flavor of the cod. The sides of gnocchi and spinach complemented the fish very well. Paired with a South African white wine, the entire meal was quite delicious. I finished with the chocolate truffle cake, which was a little too rich for me, but still very good.
Where Elephant Walk also shined was the service. Our waiter (Elvar, according to the receipt) was covering an entire section but did not miss a single beat throughout the night. He was very friendly (I watched him handle a difficult customer complaining about a drink order with professionality and good humor, leaving a smile on her face). I was prepared for the worst since it was restaurant week, but those concerns were quickly put to rest.
All in all, it was an excellent (and long overdue) first visit to Elephant Walk. -
Review from Wentian L.
Cambridge, MA
7/15/2011
Got a $20 for $40 coupon from Groupon. I went there with my mom today. They offer special three course menu for weekday lunch. It only costs $16.75 (may not be exact the figure, but quite close, I think.) the good news is that coupon can be used for everything!
Food here is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially the starter Nataing! I love the crispy rice as long as the dip! It's sweet, sour, and coconut creamy. Rouleaux (Spring rolls), Salade Cambodgienne, Loc Lac (cubes beef sautéed in caramelized green pepper), and Crevettes Amrita (shrimp sautéed in a sweet and spicy source), all of them are wonderful, except that the shrimp is a little bit salty.
Really love it here, will definitely come over again! -
Review from Katie M.
Brighton, MA
6/13/2011
I have been to the Elephant Walk twice and both times I was very happy with everything. Most recently, I went in and sat at the bar and had dinner and drinks. The bartender, Mike was incredibly nice and knowledgable.
I ordered a manhattan and the bone in roasted chicken dish. Both were fantastic. The food was a perfect portion and absolutely delicious. The drinks were great as well.
I also bartend and it was nice to find a bartender who not only knew what he was doing but seemed happy to be there. I noticed that he was friendly toward the staff in addition to the guests, which as someone who also works in the industry I really appreciated.
I absolutely recommend this place and will happily be back again. -
Review from Lui S.
ALLSTON, MA
10/24/2011
AWFUL SERVICE! Waitress ruined my birthday...so rude and inattentive.
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Review from christine t.
Somerville, MA
Updated - 3/16/2011
What happened?!? I don't know, I took my guy here for restaurant week hoping to get a repeat of my awesome birthday lunch...alas, disappointment how well I know thee.
It seemed to me like maybe the cooks can't do high volume. Lunch was great, everything was flavorful and rich, no one was there. Dinner during restaurant week, busy times and dishes were bland or too salty or just too much or too nothing.
The run down: Salad dressing had weird super spikes of citrus like it wasn't blended, puff pastry things had minimum filling and flavor, the butternut squash soup that I loved, was so disappointing, it seemed like under ripe squash was used and not enough butter or cream was added. My shrimp dish was suuper salty i couldn't finish it. The Beef short rib dish my guy got, no joke tasted like Jack Link's teriyaki Jerky bits, just softer. ugh.
Our waitress was super great. Plates came and went quickly, water was always fresh. When she noticed we weren't too happy with our meals and she apologized. I appreciate the sentiment hun, but you didn't cook it. I wish I had caught her name. When we checked out she gave us a gift card, i though she said it was $15, but it was $50. so wow, thank you. I might go back, but only for lunch.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/2/2011
I was very pleasantly surprised coming here. I've been putting it off for 10 years but I'm glad i… Read more »
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Review from Reina W.
Antioch, CA
5/6/2011
Not bad, but not great.
My husband and I both had the 4 course prix fixe meal. We shared everything so I was able to tase 8 different dishes. For some reason, everything seemed to taste sweet to me which I don't find typical in most Cambodian dishes.
The portions were large and we were stuffed before the main course even came out, but we stuffed everything in so as to not waste $75.
I think my favorite dish was the spring roll appetizer. They were hot, crispy, and the only dish that wasn't sweet. The loc lac (that everyone seems to love) was mediocre. We ordered this because we love how it turns out at home based on the recipe from the Elephant Walk cookbook. In my opinion, the dish at the restaurant was way too sweet, the meat was more tender than I like (almost as if it had been previously chewed up for me), and was just not great overall.
The restaurant itself is nice. It was busier than I thought it would be for a Wednesday night. The waitress did her job, but wasn't as pleasant as I'm sure she could've been. Altogether, just a so-so experience.
I'll definitely not go out of my way to go back and will stick to the recipes in the cookbook to taste yummy Cambodian food. -
Review from Sir B.
Boston, MA
6/19/2011
Went for brunch since their menu looked sooo delicious.
Huge disappointment for the most part.
At our table 3 people had omelettes and 2 people had crepes.
The omelette apparently was too well done. The eggs were over cooked.
My friend and I happened to get the same a crepe with ice cream inside.
I lived in Paris for a long time and all over Europe for years.
I know how a crepe should be like. Think, crispy and tasty.
The crepe there was like a fusion of pancake and crepe. It was cold, it was tough and it was nothing like a real crepe should be like.
Even my friend who got the crepe said the same thing. She's had them in Europe and she agreed a crepe should be crispy, and thin.
I asked the waiter if it was pre-made yesterday that is how it tasted.
Cold and chewy and tasteless.
Initially my friend didn't want to say anything, but for both of us after taking 2 bites we left the rest. I spoke up.
In doing so I didn't expect anything in return, but we ended up not having to pay for the crepe. This I really appreciate and for that reason and reputation I'm willing to try them one more time.
I don't know if they were having a hard time in the kitchen but this was sub par especially for the reputation I've known the Elephant Walk to have.
