L'Espalier
30 Gloucester Street
(between Commonwealth Ave & Newbury St)
Boston, MA 02115 (617) 262-3023
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 5:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sat 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Sun 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. - Menu: MenuPages
- Price Range: $$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Valet
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
82 Reviews for L'Espalier
I cant get beyond the cute wrought Iron Doors-super cute! We were there to celebrate my Brits Birthday. We did their Wine Mondays. This is where Erik Johnson who is the wine director at Lesplaier pairs wine with a four course Prefixed Menu and you are seated at a large table. It was very cool to do something fun and educational. We went for the Bubbles theme, and it was mostly underappreciated pinks and fruity whites mostly french. On your way out you get these macroon wrapped goodbyes. Cant wait to go there for a regular dinner.
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personally I think that L'Espalier is The Restaurant in Boston. There is no other. It is an insitution. It has been around for sooo long and yet it astonishes me every time I go there.I wish that they charged a little less so that I could go there more often. But it's OK. I don't mind . For the quality of food and sevice that you get, it is worth every penny.
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This restaurant has most likely won every accolade there is to win--in Boston and in the US. My boyfriend and I, being cheap people with expensive palates, had the 3-course prix fixe menu for lunch. It was $25/person when we came, but it has since been raised to $30/person--which is still the best deal in this city let alone Newbury Street.
There were 3 different fresh baked breads that we started off with, which were 2 more than we were use to; I love getting royal treatment. For the first course, Dave had a green salad and I had the pumpkin soup. Of course, they sounded fancier on paper and tasted divine in my mouth.
He had the rainbow trout with couscous and I had the rabbit with polenta for the main course. Everything about them was indescribably delicious--yes, even the brussels sprouts and the beets. This was the first time I had rabbit in my life after shooting at least a thousand of them while playing Oregon Trail.
For dessert, Dave had the grapefruit creme brulee and I had the chocolate cake. I don't like grapefruit or creme brulee, so it gave me a squished sour face, but he said it was great and I trust his judgment. My chocolate cake was decadently delectable--I didn't really want to share it with him, especially in exchange for burnt cream and the Hollywood Diet fruit.
We came around 11:30AM and I was almost late for my 2PM class. A meal at L'Espalier is similar to one in France--you can't rush it, it's an art. Vivre la France and 2-hour lunch breaks!
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Originally i heard they were moving in June to a new location at the Taj, however after having dinner there this past week, i was informed that the move date was pushed back until September. I would highly recommend visiting, prior to the move. Part of the appeal of L'espalier is the location. Its set in a brownstone in the back bay and once inside the feeling of Victorian architecture and detailing is all around. We asked for a tour on our way out. As we sat in the front parlor room. From what we were shown, there are two other rooms, the parlor room to the rear of the building and then on the second floor is the Library. I wish we had sat in the library. Its amazing, all kinds of rich wood tones and a ton of built in shelves along with some pretty cool light fixtures comprised this upstairs dining paradise.
The food is beyond description. What I can describe are the choices the dinner is faced with once they are presented with the menu. So they have an Al la carte menu, where you can order apps, entree and deserts as well as cheese and caviar. Or can you go the other route which is the chef's tasting menus. These tasting menu's range between 3-7 courses and can be consumed with wine pairing for an additional charge. The wine pairing ranges in prices based on how many glasses. I think it was 3 for 50 or 5 for 70. Something like that.
The service was incredible, although it better be for what they charge. So no complaints there. The food was probably the most gourmet/ fanciest food I've ever eaten, did i think it was a good value for the price. Probably... I mean, one of the people in my party got a vegetarian pre fix, and while her food was equal in taste and complexity, i don't think the cost of the meal was equivalent to my own meal, which consisted of items such as fillet Mignon and lobster...
All in all I can say, it was an amazing meal to celebrate an amazing occasion. I would recommend it as something extremely special and not to be degraded to a place frequently visited.
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Came here for lunch during Restaurant Week, and it was one of the best $20 I've ever spent. The meal: radish nage with parsnip flan (embarrassing enough, I had no idea it was a soup! but it was delicious), braised short ribs, and a gorgeously yums dessert plate rich enough to ensure that nobody would leave hungry. Coupled with the Back Bay townhouse setting and impeccable service, it was an utterly pretentious and perfect meal. 5 stars!
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It is such a tucked away place in a prime location, easy to be missed. It is small and quaint. There are more waiters/waitresses than customers - it felt a bit wierd. But service is excellent! When you eat here u feel like u r in Paris. :-) Food and service are impeccable!
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A good New French/New American restaurant. I can't say that there are any restaurants in Boston that are better in this category. You're better off making the trip up to Maine and go to Arrows.
So we did it. We went to L'Espalier. It's done now. Cross it off the list.
I feel like if I give this place less than 4 stars, I will be looked at as someone that doesn't "get it" and that doesn't appreciate the fine dining experience. I also feel like if I give this place four or more stars, I am over-grading based on reputation alone, and not being an honest reviewer.
After some thought, it gets three stars, and here is why.
I try hard to not get snowed by reputation going into new restaurants. I try hard to look past the "best of ____" signs whenever I dine out, and I try to not get too wrapped up in pretense and presentation and inflated expectations. At the end of the day, there are hundreds of restaurants in this city, and having a fancy entrance to a fancy townhouse, and a fancy reputation isn't an automatic five-star experience.
That said, L'Espalier makes no apologies about who or what it is. This is the type of restaurant you eat at so you can have truffles and foie gras arranged in little pyramids on disproportionately oversized white plates, and pair them with wines that cost more than your first car.
If nothing else, L'Espalier exudes class from the moment you walk in. Elaborate entrance, marble staircase, men in suits, women in sophisticated dresses, and a subdued atmosphere that is almost overly bland and proper. The service was efficient, but had a slightly snooty and condescending air that did not go unnoticed (hey GARCON, you are still waiting on me, and I am paying here, so lose the attitude).
The menu comes in three basic types, the 3-course prix fixe, a seven course seasonal degustation, and the chef's tasting menu, all escalating in price and topping out with the last of the three at nearly $200 per person (well beyond that with wine pairings). And speaking of wine, the wine list is more or less like the phonebook...had to be 20 pages at least, but surprisingly, there were quite a few wines that came in at under $60 a bottle. Of course, most were in the $100-$200 range, and a smattering were upwards of $500 bottle. Not the most expensive list I have seen, but certainly the most weighty...literally.
The food...right, the food.
The food was as expected. Luxurious ingredients like lobster, foie gras, truffles, etc etc, which at times, seemed a bit forced in there. Presentation was wonderful and the dishes did seem expertly prepared, but I wasn't really blown away by the actual taste and content of the meal. I am certainly one that appreciates fine ingredients and adventerous and avant garde cooking, but I prefer that more thought goes into the actual flavor and taste than the fluff. I mean, the ingredients sound lovely on the menu (i was quite impressed) and the plate looks great, but I'd prefer that the high point was the eating of the meal, not the thinking about and looking at it.
All in all, plusses were the class factor, the people watching, the wine list, the cheese plate, and the fact that you can substitute items from menu to menu (from the prix fixe to the degustation menu or vice versa).
Minuses were the waiter's snobbishness, the bland space, the exorbitant prices, and the food that just didn't meet my expectations given the build up.
Sure L'Espalier will impress your friends and family and significant others when you pony up $325 for a two person dinner, but I can think of a lot of places in the city with better food, better atmosphere, and 1/2 the price tag.
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perfection = l'espalier.
i knew before going this restaurant was very frou frou fancypants so i was fully expecting everyone to have a tree up his ass. i was so SO wrong. the hostess actually smiled at us and the server was so helpful, polite and friendly - probably one of the best servers i've ever encountered.
we ordered the wine tasting with the tasting journey. oh holy god, absolute ecstacy. everything was perfect! it is a bit pricey, but i promise you it will be worth every dollar.
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If you want to blow $500 on a date that you want to impress, this is the place. I went there 3 times so far and each time the ladies thought this was the best restaurant in Boston...and although I like this place I am not convinced. Yes, the service is great, food is good (not excellent) and wine is very good but there's something missing...the portions are damn small. Sure, french restaurants are not a place you go for value but they can make the portions a little more generous. If you're ordering lamb, it should be better than Outback's...not to mention Outback gives you the full rack of lamb (uncut version). So, if you go there with big apetite please make sure you order some side dishes which are good size and cheese plate to follow. Ok, to be fair, did I say the service was amazing, especially if you get the right waiter.
After wanting to come here for the longest time I finally got to today. I had lunch and I got the Winter Degustation.. I got to try some of all the dishes offered tho with the people I went with. From the amouse bouche (leek soup and an oyster shooter) to the first course (smoked salmon or foie gras) to the second course (beef tenderloin or shrimps w/ curried squash) to the cheese plates to the dessert plates. OMG! AMAZING. I got my prie fixe with the wine tasting and it was amazing. The staff was soooo great and nice (why do ppl call them snobs? They were sooo nice to me and the people I was with). I had an AMAZING time and I am SO coming back again. PLUS. ALLLLL that food (5 courses) for 40$ ? I thougt it was gonna be ridiculous. The wine tasting was an extra 30$ but SOOOOO worth it! *LOOOOOVES IT* It is now my MY FAV PLACE IN BOSTON!!!
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An excellent place.
I won't rave about the food here -- you can read the other reviews for that. But here's a tip: it was my boyfriends' birthday, and I asked them to write "Happy Birthday (name of boyfriend)" in chocolate on the dessert plate. Something I had at another super fancy restaurant. They honored my request (the guy on the phone sounded a little surprised when I asked him), and it went off really well.
So if you're planning to celebrate a birthday or something special, you can ask for this. (Otherwise, you'll just get a candle.)
This was an exceptional place, where you would clearly only go for a once in blue moon special occasion (unless you get driven around by Jeeves and summer on the French Riviera). This was an experience in ambiance and the quality of food. Of course it is expensive and portions are minuscule, but you feel that it is all worth it. At first I felt uncomfortable when the wait staff would pull my chair in and out every time I got up from the table, or guide you to the bathroom, but you know, I could totally get used to this. They even offered some aspirin to a girl at our table who looked like she wasn't feeling well.
3.5 stars really.
I was pretty excited to take my family here for afternoon tea during Christmas. My mom is single and doesn't have anyone to take her out on the town so I thought it would make a nice afternoon. Well, it did make a nice afternoon, but it was a somewhat awkward afternoon.
My husband and I are used to upscale places for birthdays and anniversaries, but my family were visibily intimidated. I can't say I blamed them because the ornate and deceivingly large interior (considering the almost secret door) was impressive. It was very formal and for a lack of a better expression, very "back bay."
My husband was surprised at the small size of the room we were in for tea. Californians sometimes don't go for the whole renovated historical vibe. I will admit to yelp that it was tight for such a pricey place.
I think we got lucky in terms of servers. I saw some snooty ones wandering around, but ours were very nice and helpful with only the slightest bit of condescension.
I actually thought the tea was a decent deal for what we got: unlimited tea, one plate of finger sandwiches and an individual selection of desserts which were quite filling ($30 + tea pp). Some of the sandwiches were really delicious and others were what you expect for tea.
I think I would have to go back for dinner to get a better idea of L'Espalier, but I wasn't blown away by it on the first go-round. The clientele did not increase my love either. We were next to a few women who were dressed down in khakis which seemed chosen to convey that I-am-so-rich-that-this-place-is-no-big-deal-and-I- can-show-up-in-these-crappy-boring-pants-to-convey -my-disdain-for-it attitude.
18 people in a room - how long before one pulls out a ring?
In fact at L'Espalier, 18 people taking 'Fantasy Tea' on a Saturday afternoon - how many are not there for a birthday, an anniversary or for an upscale bachelorette get together? Probably just 2 - Hana T and me, there to review for yelp and our www.bostonteacup.com site (Check out the PHOTOS there).
So what's the experience like at Boston's top restaurant? Well it's beautiful, intimate, luxurious and with the best service you're likely to encounter in this city. It can feel a little stuffy and quiet but I guess at a place like this should expect it. They still lose a star from me for that, though.
And the afternoon tea? The tea was refreshing and your cup is never left empty, but HONESTLY people - what matters is the food. Beautifully created works of art and perfectly balanced tastes - never too sweet, never too savory.
So go treat yourself to the wonderful contradiction that is a French restaurant serving afternoon tea... and don't forget that ring.
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If I lived in Boston, I would have the three course prix fixe at L'Espalier for lunch every weekday. But since I don't, I can only yelp about it and think about it everyday...
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My husband took me here for our anniversary. The menu was expensive, but the food was totally worth it. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful.
We also went for Saturday tea, which was much less expensive and a lot of fun.
The atmosphere is great, I hate to think that they are moving locations.
S took me here last week-- I'm still blown away by him. Now I'm blown away by this restaurant too. I have never before had such an elegant dining experience.
We each ordered the Vegetarian Degustation with a 3-glass wine pairing. The menu on the restaurant's website was not nearly complete nor accurate, though that was perfectly fine by us.
Amuse Bouche. Gruyere pouf. Tasted very full, filling, satisfying, flavorful. It's difficult to put to words, maybe I'll read up on food writing. Its center was creamy and tasted of a hint of chives and truffles. Possibly just gruyere, though.
First Course. Cauliflower puree with organic garlic and chives. Incredibly smooth and creamy, very flavorful. Lovely serving dish.
Second Course. Roasted sugar pumpkin soup with delicata squash and mushrooms. We enjoyed asking the wait staff (of which no less than 8 served us) all sorts of questions. They figured out for us that the red liquid in the soup was pumpkin seed oil (though yes, there was also balsamic vinegar in the soup itself).
Breads. The server repeatedly came by with a large tray of breads. I tried the olive bread and the fig bread. Both were very flavorful. The fig bread was a bit more like fig cake, but less so than banana bread.
Oof, I'm getting tired, will have to elaborate more, remind me to finish this review...
Third Course. Roasted Bartlett pear risotto with autumn greens and parsnip consomme. Yeah, I'm still really into risotto. This one had a mild crunch to it, which I'm not used to (smooth?), but I really enjoyed the complex flavors.
Fourth Course. Truffled macaroni and cheese (gruyere, cheddar, and gorgonzola) with asparagus, brussel sprout shell, and tomato garnish.
Fifth Course. Cheese plate! Seven cheeses, from mild to sharp. Not in order: Tellagio (our favorite), Crater Lake Blue, Goat cheese with ash, Ayr, Parmesany hard gouda (not on the cheese menu) and two soft cheeses. Condiments: Apricot jam infused with rosemary and lavender, oak honey with pine nuts, white raisins.
Intermezzo. Concord grape sorbet with champagne gelee, blueberries, in matcha green tea.
Dessert. Adzuki bean terrine, apple gelee with japanese sprouts, flourless chocolate tort.
Tiered dessert tray with petit desserts.
Wines: Westport tarty fruity champage, white wine (like a mix between gewuertztraminner and riesling), red wine (french pinot noir... peppery, then fruity berry, then brown sugar-y). Sent over by the couple at the next table: Rosa Regale, Brachetto d'Acqui D.O.C.G. dessert wine (hint of raspberry and rose, sparkling). Not very sweet on its own, but paired superbly with sweet desserts.
Really, remind me, I'll write more.
(cross posted on epinions)
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The interior was charming and the food was excellent as expected. I simply cannot give L'Espalier 5 stars because of the overly obnoxious attitude. I do not understand how the waiters can be this pretentious and condescending. I overheard some waiters mimicking (and laughing at) the table next to us because they were a bit confused about the different set menus. That was just mean, and totally uncalled for since the couple was so polite in asking their questions.
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Ok, since my boyfriend and I started dating, I have been WAITING to go here for our one year anniversary. So, we did.
No words can even describe our meal. I genuinely felt sad after each course. The portions seemed small, but were perfectly balanced and by the end, we couldn't even finish our deserts. I had the foie gras, cinnamon roasted squab, and creme brulee. My bf had the veal sweetbreads (the best, I think), grilled beef tenderloin, and banana souffle. Even the bread was phenomenal.
The interior was beautiful, we were seated on a little "couch" which was quaint and romantic. The staff was wonderful and obviously took the extra step to make you feel special, maybe a little tooo much.. When my boyfriend called to make the reservation, I guess the reservationist asked if it was a special occasion, so he told them we were celebrating an anniversary. Once we were seated our server addressed us as "Mr. and Mrs." and offered us champagne to celebrate. HILARIOUS!
The only odd thing I did not like about our dinner was that there was NO music playing in the restaurant. I do not know if this is how it is always, but sometimes there was a stuffy, awkward silence when the few other tables in our dining room stopped talking. I'm all for ambiance, so this was kind of strange for me.
Other than that, this was one of the most enjoyable meals I've ever experienced.
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Five for decor, four for food, three for service, which brings it to about four stars....The night started with question marks, but ended up becoming a lovely evening.
First of all, the venue. I love classic venues, and L'espalier had the perfect setting with its charming old Boston townhouse. We were shown to the parlor, and the decor was modest but beautiful.
The service was strange though, and a little too pretentious. I actually notice this a lot in high-end French restaurants outside of Paris, particularly in Tokyo... why do you have to put it out there that your cuisine and service are SO special? We acknowledge that we are here for an exceptional dining experience. You don't have to be so in-your-face about it. Anyway...
We ordered the three course pre-fixe and added a plate of "Seared Hudson Valley Fois Gras with Roasted Pears and Concord Grapes" for the table, specifying that they bring it before our course menu started. Instead they brought it after the first course, which kind of threw us off, but the server brushed it aside when we commented on it. At this point, LOTS of question marks in our head... "????????"
The salad that I ordered, "Salad of young greens with chevre and smoked maple corn bread crouton; cider vinaigrette and toasted almonds" was so-so. I always like to be wowed by the first course, and this did not happen. I really didn't understand why a soft cornbread would substitute as a crouton... and the salad was pretty standard.
The fois gras was good but not exceptional. So, by this time you can tell that we were somewhat confused and frustrated. But the conversation was good so we kind of pretended to ignore it.
Then came the main course.
I had "Pan roasted monk fish with Pat's littleneck clams and roasted Brussels sprouts; pancetta and caper vinaigrette" and it was exceptional! The monk fish was done just right (although it could have been slightly more tender) and the combination of pancetta and caper vinaigrette was wonderful. I truly enjoyed this dish and I think the others at the table did as well.
Then came the dessert/ cheese course. My boss and I opted for a cheese tasting, which consisted of six cheeses chosen to our preferences; i.e. stinky and soft. My favorite was the Epoisse... but I loved everything on the plate. They also gave me the cheese menu afterwards to take home, so I guarantee you I will make a dash to Milk Pail upon return to the Bay Area to search for these cheeses!
My colleague had a souffle which also looked amazing. I would love to come back here for dessert.
They seem to have fun events going on centered around wine, so if I lived in Boston, I might come back every once in a while to try out different menus. This is also a great place to have clients, I think, as it is appropriate for any business dinner.
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I love the food here, even the dining room is too small. The chef is so nice he greets us at the table, everyone. .
I came back this place and they inform me they are going to move to the Boyston St. I check out the new place, it's gonna be awesome.
Love the food
We had lunch on a weekday at L'Espalier, and it was really quite the departure from my usual college student meals.
If you want to go to a place to blow lots of money and act like a high-class fancy shmancy person, L'Espalier is the place to go.
The entire place screams 5-star! Luxurious! Expensive! All starting from the marble staircase to the fancy decorated ceiling to the really dressed up waiters.
They ask each individual what kind of bread they would like and do the 2 fork thing to pick up the selected bread and place it on each plate. Super fancy!
Since we went on a weekday lunch, the dining area was fairly empty, and the service was really good. Our waiter was very nice to us, and even joked around with us (probably because we, as college students, were not the usual L'Espalier customers).
While some might complain that the high prices do not result in food worthy of the cost, we got the $24 Prix Fixe lunch which was well worth the money that I paid. (However, I can see the food possibly not being worth it, if it cost over $100 or whatever it costs usually for dinner).
The Prix Fixe lunch started with either a soup or salad. I got the salad, but the soup was really cool, because it came out first as just some food in a bowl, then the waiters came around with a big pitcher (no better word?) of the broth and ladled the broth into the bowl with the stuff already in it to complete the soup.
I got the pan fried rainbow trout as my dish, which was very solid, albeit not revolutionary in taste. It was slightly light, but the cous cous on the bottom was the best cous cous I have ever tasted.
The meal ended with a creme brulee, which was good. Perfectly flambe'd on top, but definitely on the sweet side.
The real 5-star-ness of this place is in the feeling that you are being a hella high class big spender going to a fancy French restaurant. The food was maybe really 4 stars, but the experience was definitely 5-star fancyness.
And all for just $24 + tip! Weekday lunch is definitely the best time to go to L'Espalier!
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Vegetarian tasting menu here was great - had a lot of flavor (they actually used saffron in the soup!) which veggie menus at fancy restaurants can often lack. Service was on the spot. Its pricey for sure, which is why we saved it for a special occasion.
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I've only ever been to Wine Mondays here, and let me tell you it is THE most exquisite dining experience I've had in my life. The uber-dork in me was captivated by the history of each wine, and the foodie in me encountered each bite with pure, ecstatic delight. The sommelier was incredibly knowledgable and hilarious at the same time. The wait staff was so attentive I felt like hugging them and saying, "It's ok! I can pick up my own napkin!"
Since their tasting menu can sometimes be used as the "testing" menu, so I sincerely hope that the chicken and polenta AND the grilled calamari salad made the cut. Both were so flavorful and perfectly complemented by the wine.
I ended my meal with a creme brulee (that was perfection) and a nice buzz. Seriously, best dining experience of my life.
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I have struggled with this review...a few false starts. where to begin?...Merde.
My best friend and I went for Boston Restaurant Week and the food was very good but the service, not so much. They knew what to do but they did so poorly.
There were seven servers for a room of 17, in 5 parties.
We had the $20.07 Prix Fixe, we added a cheese course and we had a glass of wine with every course the bill for 2 was $199 and change (w/out tip) . I had no issues with the bill or the food or the wine. It was the service. The entire flow of the meal was off.
We ordered the wine well in advance of every course but without fail we had the dish in front of us and had to wait for the wine to arrive, and thus wait to eat. People seated after us had their wine before us with no food in front of them. We ordered sparkling water, and had to fill our own glasses when they were empty, not such a big deal that, but at an establishment of this caliber it is a big deal. The one time our glasses were filled, the bus person poured jug water in the half full glasses of Voss. I bit my lip but my friend could not let that go. They did give us a complimentary bottle of Voss. Beyond all these issues I will allow that perhaps BRW is part of the cause. The staff had a strained politeness, it was so conspicuous, I almost mistook them for French persons.
The watermelon soup was sublime, a perfect starter course, light on the palate . The pork belly confit was so decadent I was tempted to ask for a Priest so I could confess, clear my conscience, and go on with the meal. The selection of cheeses and the pairing of the wine, a waiter's suggestion, were a divine match. Of the bread pudding and the chocolate torte I preferred the former, but both were excellent.
This was my third visit in ten years. The other visits were not during BRW, the service was top notch.
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Heaven on Earth--or, at least, in a brownstone!
This place is just perfect--without being pretentious or stuffy. Service epitomizes "class" (South End restaurants--send your servers here for a class!!) and food is beyond words.
Always do the 7-course degustation (if you're going to splurge, then splurge!) and if someone can pour you into a cab, do it with the wine pairing!! And always, always have the Hudson Valley foie gras and the cheese course.
The only thing that would make this place absolutely perfect would be if they could give you a bed to lie down on after you indulge!!!
My wife and I had a rather crowded schedule, and couldn't manage to do dinner here, but we were able to get to L'Espalier ( http://www.lespalier.com/ - 30 Gloucester St., Boston) for a late lunch one day last week . . .
The enterance to the restaurant is subdued and unassuming -- if you weren't looking for it, you'd drive past it and never see it, tucked in among the residences of the neighborhood. Open the door, walk down a couple of steps, and there is a staircase leading up to the second floor. once upstairs, we were greeted by what I presumed to be the hostess and maitre d' (although they were also the ones serving the food, so . . . ?), and shown to our table in the front room of what must have been someone's house at one point.
The room itself is visually stunning; "understated elegance" is a perfect way to describe it. The white table cloths, heavy sterling tableware, and the almost formal service (albeit by a very friendly staff) remind one of a Michelin-starred Parisian restaurant, though there is no stuffiness or haughty atttudes here. (Actually, I've never had the stuffiness or haughtiness in Paris either, but the stereotype dies hard.)
We both began with glasses of Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rose. Lynn selected the chilled watermelon soup with mint and cucumber -- pure, focused and truly delicious -- while I opted for a salad of young greens with fresh chvre, pistachios, native strawberries and black pepper-champagne vinaigrette. Apparently many of the greens and the strawberries come from a roof-top garden the restaurant maintains. Absolutely stunning.
For our next course, Lynn ordered the mint-and-yogurt marinated sauted scallops with sweet peas and mint risotto -- exquisite -- while I availed myself of the cheese course, a trio of perfectly ripe and delicious New England cheeses I'd not had before.
For our mains, Lynn chose the open-faced sandwich of grilled asparagus and poached farmer's egg, atop toasted focaccia and served wth a black truffle dressing, while I opted for the restaurant's own version of a BLT -- lobster salad with roasted tomato, house smoked bacon and avocado butter. Wonderful!
The only negative was a rather poor excuse for an espresso, but I have come to expect that in Boston, where -- despite a multitude of attempts -- I only found two places with good espresso. (Perhaps my expectations are too high; why expect great espresso in the land of Dunkin' Donuts and the world's most famous "Tea Party"?)
Anyway, that was the only weak spot in and otherwise superb and flawless meal. Based on this one meal, I can see how Chef Frank McClelland was named the 2007 "Best Northeast Chef" by the James Beard Foundation. I know we're looking forward to having dinner there the next time we get to Boston.
Jason
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The first thing that stood out to me was that there was no music and the walls were plain and relaxed. Almost like a restaurant you'd find in the countryside in France. I think the main reason for that is to not distract the guests from that exquisite food. So why only four stars?
I received my dessert - a pumpkin souffle. I was going to pull it closer to me but before risking burning my fingers, I asked the waiter if the dish was really hot. He condescendingly responded, "It's a souffle", and walked off.
A true 5-star review. That is why it is so extraordinarily long.
WHO SHOULD GO:
An excellent choice if you're:
-celebrating (a birthday, an anniversary, a promotion)
-richer than I am
-hopeless addicts of French cuisine
FOOD:
While we ruminated on food choices, we were promptly served the increasingly ubiquitous "amuse-bouches" (that are nearly always accompanied by an overly stressed "compliments of the chef"-- you know the ones I mean). These included what amounted to smoked salmon with creme fraiche (niftily served in layers and therefore referred to as Napoleons), and spoonfuls of pickled squid with some form of cucumber. It is a credit to the establishment that I ate that whole spoonful of squid.
We decided to splash out entirely and try some caviar. The caviar service was just as it should be and I only wished we had ordered a bigger portion.
You can then go several routes, including prix fixe and elaborate tasting menus (with or without wine). We opted for prix fixe and I opted to thoroughly clog my arteries. I started with a just heavenly rabbit dish, which included the oddly perfect pairing of a crayfish, and then moved on to a beef tenderloin which, while delicious, was slightly dampened by the joy of the rabbit.
My husband opted for an oyster starter which was quite nice but, even when taking quality into consideration, and the American preponderance toward huge portions, was a little skimpy. He followed this with a halibut dish that seemed to transport him into nirvana.
In a moment of weakness, we succumbed to the famed cheese service before dessert. Nearly comatose from food, we allowed the server to select a few of the evening's standards, but I wish we had taken the time to examine the choices more. While the selections were all quite good, I mustered up the courage to order an additional French cheese that had caught my eye, and it proved to be our favorite.
Finally, the desserts. My husband totally edged me out by selecting the creme brulee- my absolute favorite dessert- and sticking me with the Strawberry Grand Marnier souffle. Then the waiter unveiled this little delectable, gently pried it open, and carefully poured some creme anglaise into its center, and (almost) all traces of jealousy disappeared.
This was all accompanied by the shockingly cheap coffee service. Imagine dropping several hundred dollars on dinner and wine and then $3 on an espresso.
WINE:
Many fine restaurants carry several ludicrously priced bottles, mainly moderately priced bottles, and several modestly priced ones for the church mice like us. This fine restaurant carries mainly ludicrously priced bottles, and I did some quick price-checking afterwards to verify that the markup is insane.
Pricing commentary aside, I do believe that one of the stronger points of this restaurant is the sommelier. We ordered a lower-end moderately priced burgandy that proved to be the best little wine I've had in 2 years.
STAFF/ATMOSPHERE:
While at first, the princess treatment was a bit unsettling, by the time I rolled (nearly literally) out of L'Espalier, I was quite comfortable with the decorum, affability, and unflinching politeness of the many staff members. One true drawback to this is that the rooms, which are quite small and hence lend atmosphere, can at times seem to be crawling with wait staff.
Also, while the building was charming, it was not so dripping with atmosphere as their web site descriptions would have you expect. Instead I thought it was just fine. They do have clean and pleasant (albeit small) bathrooms-- never underestimate the importance of the WC to an establishment.
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Don't deny yourself the L'Espalier experience.....hurry before they move from their cozy brownstone to the Mandarin.
I have nothing to add to the positive reviews here, except that I am VERY GLAD that the restaurant has no music.
L.Espalier is, hands down, the classiest, most elegant, wonderful place I have ever been in the city of Boston. From the wrought iron modest entrance to the high ceilings to the antique feel to the Parisian map wallpaper in the restroom, L'Espalier feels like a secret getaway location to be enjoyed on the most special of occasions. I went to high tea here for my birthday. The tea sandwiches were unique, flavorful, and exquisite. For such tiny portions they hugely effected my palate, allowing me to savor every last ingredient. The dessert platter (see pictures!) was unbelievable. I have never tasted so many sweets created with such care and precision. The flavors of everything were complimented by each other and the tea (I had Jasmine Pearl). The service was top notch - the host was professional and kind. The waitress was careful to go everything on the menu, explain everything we were given, and was absolutely pleasant the whole time. The tea servers were always there to fill up your cup right at the perfect moment. My whole experience here was just one of a kind.
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It took me a while to warm up to the old Bostonian buildings, but it is slowing beginning to take. You can't miss the front door on this place.
We did the Three-Course Prix-Fixe really out of simplicity in decision making. It was quite amazing. Well decorated plates if you are into that. If you are like me and judge based on the food, well then you should still be happy. We finished everything presented to us; however, I must admit, I took the high road on the Foie gras. Maybe I'll save one duck from being force feed! The tenderloins and even more so, the halibut were amazing. Finishing it off, who would have thought a cheese tray would do it. Well, not me.
I will definitely come back and try new items. I would recommend it for special dates and anniversaries.
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Best French Restaurant in Boston. Excellent food, service, and wine. I've been twice and ate way too much both times. It's usually a "special occasion" restaurant, meaning that you see a lot of birthday crowds or couples. Only drawback is that a lot of old Bostonians suck the life out of the place sometimes. But it's a serious dining experience for those of you who like impeccable service and cutting edge cuisine.
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Wanting to come here for our two year anniversary but knowing that a trip to L'Espalier would push my credit card to it's max, I suggested a cheaper alternative to my husband - the wine dinner.
For the price, $55 per person, it was heaven on 4 plates and in 4 glasses.
My husband and I love to drink wine and want to become more educated drinkers so we knew this would be a great night for us. It was amazing! Most of the wines we didn't enjoy based on first nose and taste but paired with the food it was INCREDIBLE! The four courses consisted of a salad, a meat, a seafood, and cheese each paired with a half glass of wine. The portions allowed us to leave without feeling stuffed or drunk, able to enjoy the rest of the evening comfortably.
The service was great. They accommodated my husband with an alternative dish during our seafood course and put a candle in our end of the meal dessert samplers for our anniversary. Great attention to detail!
The sommelier made the night so much fun. He was a great professor, educating the room on the wine we were drinking. Told us personal stories that he had with the wines and was funny enough to be a stand-up comedian.... maybe.
The only downside was that because of the event you sit at communal tables which is not ideal for a romantic anniversary dinner. Knowing this now, we plan on coming back with a table full of friends for another delicious night!
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Exceptional service! I came here for my boss's retirement lunch with the department gang.
They now have a Three Course Prix Fixe for $24: http://www.lespalier.c... (I think they change the menu quite often.)
O MY GOD!!! Great food, everything is cooked just right.
I had the Sauted tiger shrimp, rabbit leg, and the creme brulee!!
Can't wait to come back here for dinner!