There is no denying that the staff at L’Espalier knew how to orchestrate in a pulsing, synchronized rhythm from the beginning of the evening to the end. The moment we walked through the glass doors on Boylston Street, an elevator attendant greeted Zach and me. Once we arrived on the 3rd floor, without skipping a beat, the hostess wished me a happy birthday, and swiftly seated us to a corner table, with plates set side-by-side rather than across from one another, next to a giant window overlooking the street below.
This was our second time dining here (the first time was for our anniversary last fall) and we came in with high expectations. Having experienced Chef Frank McClelland’s tasting menu before, we once again opted for the Chef’s Tasting Journey – dishes inspired by a combination of French flavors and seasonal New England produce.
Amuse Bouche:
A trio of small bites
This delicate serving activated our taste buds and made our stomachs growl a little bit louder as we eagerly anticipated what was to come. The cheese puff was soft and creamy, the avocado crema was light yet flavorful, and the cheeto was certainly unlike any I’ve ever tasted before.
Bread:
A soft pretzel roll and sourdough with two-tone sesame seeds and flax. Served stylishly on a piece of rock, there was a dijon honey mustard butter and a salted butter.
Unlimited homemade bread and freshly whipped butter – a detail L’Espalier executes flawlessly – is something that would make the French proud. The pretzel roll complimented well with the sweet honey mustard butter. The sourdough, airy and nutty, was delicious even without the help of butter.
1st Course:
Hollandaise foam with prosciutto and peas
Foamy and fluffy, this course was a fun one to eat. The saltiness of the prosciutto cut through the mildness of the overall dish.
2nd Course:
Chevre with yellow beets, fines herbes, and summer crudités
The goat cheese, creamy and tart, shines in this summery dish composed of fresh vegetables. The beets and crudités were crisp, but they were overpowered by the tanginess of the cheese, which, is not such a bad thing.
3rd Course:
Georges Bank scallops with Point Judith squid, fennel, mustard, and bone marrow
The scallop was tender and sweet. It cut like butter. I desperately wished they had given us more than one. Maybe I made the mistake of tasting the scallop first, but although the squid was well cooked (aka, not chewy), I found the taste to be bland.
4th Course:
Grilled Maine lobster with confit hazelnuts, roasted strawberries, pico de gallo, toasted nori, and coriander
This was my favorite course of the evening. The lobster, cooked to perfection, was juicy and sweet. I could really taste the butter it was poached in. The meat went surprisingly well with the cooked strawberry, and the pico de gallo added an extra layer of zest. Light and fresh, this represents the quintessential summer New England dish.
5th Course:
Torchon of foie gras with blistered peaches, apricots, brioche, and cherry sautern jam
A classic preparation of foie gras, this torchon was luxuriously silky and smooth. The fresh peaches added a nice contrast to the richness.
6th Course:
Barely cooked king salmon, lemon fennel puree, bok choy shoots, yu choy, and foraged bits
They meant it when they said “barely cooked” salmon. Buttery and flaky, the fish melted in my mouth. I suspect a sous vide was used for it to be cooked so perfectly. The vegetables were nicely prepared, with no trace of bitterness that often plagues the flavor of bok choy.
Intermezzo:
A shot was given to us meant for cleansing the palette before moving on to the second portion of the meal.
7th Course:
Squab with buttermilk “risotto” and liver vinaigrette
This was the first time I have ever tasted squab, meat from a young pigeon. It didn’t taste as gamey as I expected: in fact, the taste was rather mellow, not unlike chicken. Although the portion of the liver was small, the taste was strong enough to compliment the squab, but it didn’t overwhelm the dish. Overall, this was an interesting course I thoroughly enjoyed.
8th Course:
Pineland Farms roasted sirloin, lime sesame vinaigrette, ginger potato pave, melted leeks and king trumpets
The main course…I was struck by the gigantic size of the mushroom when the dish was presented to me. Fine by me, I’ve been on a mushroom kick lately and the subtle umami flavor of the meaty king trumpet satisfied my expectation. The sirloin was cooked an impeccable medium rare, but the flavors of the truffles in between the slices of meat didn’t shine through. The potato pave was simple, yet crispy and delicious, but I could not taste the ginger.
9th Course:
Grand Fromage: cheese plate served with toast, flax seed crackers, blueberry compote, and honey
Cheese from left to right:
Soft Cheese: St Stephen, bloomy rind of a brie made with triple cream cow milk, from 4 Fat Fowl Creamery in Stephenstown, New York
Creamy and mild, the silky texture made it fantastic to eat alone and to spread on a cracker.
Aged, Natural Rind Cheese: Danby, sardo style cheese made with unpasteurized goat milk, from Consider Bardwell Farm in W. Pawlet, Vermont
The Danby had a hint of sharpness, almost resembling asiago in flavor.
Aged, Natural Rind Cheese: Shepsog, natural rind cheese made with sheep and cow milk, from Grafton Village Cheese Co. in Brattleboro, Vermont
Dense in texture, and sharp and nutty in flavor, the Shepsog went well with the honey.
Blue Cheese: Bailey Hazen, English style blue cheese with unpasteurized cow milk, from Jasper Hill Farm and Cellars in Greensboro, Vermont
Pungent and strong, this blue chase made me tingly on the tongue and the back of the throat. The blueberry compote and honey softened the sharpness.
10th Course:
Tres Leche, strawberries, celery, coconut
Fooled by the small size, the sponge, soaked with milk, exploded in my mouth, spilling the subtle flavors of coconut it had absorbed. Moist and soft, this small treat was a delight.
11th Course:
Grande Dessert Plate: Tastefully presented with candles in celebration of my birthday, an incredibly kind gesture
From left to right:
White chocolate cremeux with hibiscus poached apples, toasted sesame, passion fruit, and black raspberry sorbet
The white chocolate was divine: buttery and milky. The tart fruity flavors that accompanied the chocolate were perfect add-ons.
Earl grey soufflé with lemongrass anglaise, lemon thyme ice cream, and lemon poppyseed cupcake
The texture of the soufflé was so fluffy that it was like eating a cloud. Immediately after it hit my tongue, it melted. I was instructed to poke a hole in the middle so that our waiter could pour the creamy filling inside. The lemongrass flavor came through strong, and so did the earl grey after the initial taste of lemongrass passed.
The lemon cupcake, small, but packed with flavor, was an incredible pair with the lemon thyme ice cream.
Black forest cremeux, cherry, coca nibs, Kirschwasser Chantilly ice cream
The black forest cremeux was rich and thick. The ice cream’s tartness cut through the sweetness. Although it was sprinkled with coca nibs, and paired with a beautifully constructed chocolate tree, I wished that it tasted more chocolate-y. Instead, I tasted more cream than cocoa.
Drinks:
I ordered a Spiced Peach Tea Cocktail: I could tell that this rum-based drink was mulled, full of that ginger-y, cinnamon-y and slightly smoke-y (from the cloves) aroma, it was a great palette cleanser in between each meal.
Zach ordered an East By Northeast: A twist on the classic Manhattan, it tasted strongly of oak and smoke. The rosemary was a nice addition.
We then finished the night off with a half bottle of Sparkling Blanc de Blancs, a bubbly made entirely with white grapes; the subtle notes paired extremely well with our seafood courses.
Price: $$$$
The Chef’s Tasting Journey is $208 per person, with the option for wine pairings for an extra $118.
Dress Code:
Very formal dress code, most men in the restaurant were wearing jackets.
Overall: 8/10
The presentation of each dish was carried out with great care and detail. Every plate was stunningly minimalistic, yet colorful and bright, honing in on the summer-influenced ingredients and overall theme. The dinner was well-paced: we waited long enough in between courses so that we were not stuffed before the meal was over, but fast enough so that we never grew impatient. The entire dinner took us about 3 hours.
The wait staff was fantastic. I could tell that L’Espalier prides themselves with their top-notch service, and attentive staff, but not in an overbearing way (I was able to have conversations without that awkward feeling like I was being watched). Polite, gracious, and knowledgeable, they truly made the night that much more special.
The food did not disappoint; they were all delicious. There were some perfectly executed dishes, whereas the flavors of others fell flat. I thoroughly enjoyed their seafood courses, whereas the main meat dishes were below their usual standards. However, the textures of the meat were all spot on: nothing was overdone, underdone, or chewy.
L’Espalier is worth the indulgence on special occasions for those looking for an intimate, cozy meal in a space filled with sounds of chatters, soft jazz and blues. Is it a little pretentious? Yes, a bit. Do they play it safe with their menu? Perhaps. But nobody can deny that there is a lot of hype surrounding this restaurant, and it has been this way for decades. Go – and you will see why the attention is well deserved for yourself.
Nice