L'Espalier--RELOCATED

My girlfriend and I went went to L'Espalier for Restaurant Week. We had to change our reservation from Friday to Saturday - however, we did not realize that they did not do Restaurant Week on Saturday nights! In this uncomfortable position, we considered leaving (we're both students), but I mentioned to Nicholas, our waiter, our situation, and he said he would love to be able to work something out. He disappeared while we considered our options from the menu, but decided it wasn't worth it to bring it down to our price range. When he came back, however, he had spoken with the chefs and had arranged for us to select from the Restaurant Week menu! We were so relieved to have been spared the awkwardness of our misunderstanding, and the food was well worth it. We had the vidalia onion soup and the salmon, both incredible. The salmon was cooked absolutely perfectly, with a delicious crust on the exterior and tender, mouth-pleasing interior. We substituted the chocolate souffle for dessert - excellent, and the black pepper ice cream accompaniment was simply amazing. The food was excellent, but really it was Nicholas's level of service and personal touch that will make this restaurant experience memorable for a long time. Pros: Impeccable and accommodating service, delicious menu items Cons: Expensive more

L'Espalier lived up to our expectations with its original, modern French cuisine, beautiful dining room and fantastic service. As far as the food goes, it was nothing short of amazing and it was obvious that astonishing amounts of effort went into making every detail of every dish absolutely perfect. Not knowing too, too much about wine, we could not speak to the wine list beyond that it was extensive (and expensive), though the wine we did have was quite good. I can say that being dirty martini faithfuls, the bartender poured us some of the best we've ever had. Just one more thing that speaks to the overall level of excellence. All around, it is everything you would expect from a restaurant of this caliber and while I would not call it the best I have ever been to, it is certainly in the conversation. By far the best I have been to in Boston. more

The food is always amazing and dishes always inventive. If you have lots of money or just want to celebrate a special occasion, you won't forget y... more

I had high expectations for this place, and I was quite disappointed on my first visit. We ordered two 3-course dinner. The first amuse bouche w... more

So, I had pretty high expecations for L'Espalier, and most of them have been met. I ordered the pan seared foie gras, which was absolutely incredi... more

Hands down best restaurant I've been to in Boston. Every single detail was absolutely perfect. From the staff to the food to the ambiance, I have only wonderful and delicious memories here. The first time we went was the night my fiance proposed. The staff was waiting for us and brought us to this delightful little table by the window. There is such an understated elegance there! While I consider myself a foodie-in-training, I have to admit that I don't know a whole lot about wine. Still, both the waiter and the sommelier were so caring and considerate and not at all snobby or pretentious. And though I was almost too excited from the proposal to eat, we had a magical night there. Pros: Just about everything... Cons: The move to Mandarin Oriental??? more

I had long heard good things about L'Espalier but had yet to go there, in part because I do not love French food. We started with cocktails, which were excellent -- I had the French Kiss Martini. We then ordered the vegetarian tasting menu with wine pairings. Each course was fantastic, as were the wine pairings. My husband is a meat eater, so I was surprised that he enjoyed it as much as he did. The service was excellent as well. This was definitely one of the best meals I've eaten. Pros: Great food, great service Cons: Pricy (but worth it) more

Anyone who tells you this place isn't absolutely fantastic has no taste. The food is perfection, the waiters are knowledgeable and attentive, and the dining rooms are absolutely beautiful. You will leave feeling like a king (or queen). Make sure to try a cheese plate - they have excellent cheeses, and the watier will be able to tell you all about them, which is really neat. Wine Monday is also not to be missed. Eric, their self-proclamed ""cork dork"" is unpretentious but really knows his stuff. You get a great meal, taste fantastic wines, and learn a little something too. Pros: Geez. Just about everything. Cons: Quite expensive (but worth it). more

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Service was good and waiting staff attentive. But waitresses arrived in pares, with one talking to us and the other bent into a 45 degree angle, which looked strained and uncomfortable. Food wise: BAD! Salad was over-salted with an absence of any other flavor but vinegar. Lamb arrived with fettuccini (a very French offering (!). Pasta was so over-salted that my husband chocked after tasting it and I coughed after taking a bite from his plate. My steak arrived rare instead of med-rare, but the real problem was the under-cooked yucca (another ?great? choice for a French restaurant) that accompanied it. It was like eating under-cocked boiled potatoes that feel crunchy in your mouth. We pointed out to our waitress that the food was un-edible and she took it away returning with the same entrees accompanied with your every-day mashed potatoes and pretty leaky at that. No one asked if we wanted mashed potatoes as a side dish. For dessert, we asked for cheese. Looking at the cheese tray, my husband asked which ones were French - the answer was none, the only imported cheese they had was from Quebec. Sure it is a little closer to the French cuisine than yucca or fettuccini, still one would expect to encounter French cheese in a reputable French restaurant. So it happened that we were sitting close to the door with the cheese tray visible in the entry hall. During all the time we spent there, it has never been covered with a glass dome so when the cheese was served, it tasted stale and musty. That was just enough. We left in disgust. The day was Oct 19, 2006 and I did not know what disaster befallen the L?Espalier on that day but the experience certainly did not fit into any other description of any other L?Espalier review. To end this: we lived in Europe for many years. Presently I work as a personal chef. We know what a good food and a good restaurant mean. What we encountered in L?Espalier was not either of them. Pros: reputation, good reviews Cons: bad food more

I'm not sure how you could come away from an experience at L'Espalier without anything but wonderful memories. The service was truly impeccable - our head waiter was extraordinarily attentive, very knowledgeable, yet wasn't too ""stiff"", as you might expect (he genuinely seemed to enjoy having us there). With the exception of the striploin, which lacked the dynamic flavors of everything else we ate, each and every course (we had 7 each) was flawless. The potato leek soup had tremendous depth of flavor, the butter-poached lobster was cooked just perfectly and complimented beautifully by the crispy prosciutto & pineapple. The lamb was extraordinarily tender and flavorful, and the scallop ceviche had incredible complex flavors. The accompaniments to the cheese course were wonderful, and the souffle I had for dessert was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. And if you don't care for a dish (or all) on the degustation menu that night, you may substitute for anything else on the menu! Pros: Service, Food - Everything! Cons: High prices (but what do you expect...) more

This place is amazing. The service, the food and the ambience were a perfect 10! I recommend this place hands down. Pros: Wonderful people, excellent food. Great cheese selection! Cons: A little pricey. more

This restaurant proved to be a major disappointment for what we had hoped to be a memorable occasion. We spent close to $300.00 for a very mediocre meal. From a prix fixe menu, my husband ordered a cassoulet of sweetbreads that looked and tasted as if it were yesterday's leftovers just thrown together. The lamb dish had an accompanying lump of pesto linguini. The pan seared halibut was really quite ordinary. We also made the mistake of ordering a vegetable side dish of mushrooms and truffles: the result was somewhat pasty and flavorless. Who would have guessed that the best part of the meal would be the cheese plate. If you make the mistake of arriving early, be prepared to be ushered out the door prematurely by the ""attentive"" wait staff to make way for the second seating customers. The décor was quite lovely, but the room was too quiet and precluded any meaningful conversation. All together this made for a stiff and stuffy experience. Background music would help a great deal-at least for early diners. Pros: Decor and romantic setting Cons: Over-priced, mediocre food and stuffy more

Great splurge for vegetarians. Enjoyable experience on 5/11/06. Took 7-course tasting, $75 each. Veggies were fresh and perfectly seasoned. Great cheese plate at the end. Took wine pairing, $55 each. Thought each course would be accompanied by wine but they served 4 glasses, leaving us with no wine for the cheese plate or dessert! They served large pours, but we would have preferred shorter pours for each course. Dining room was intimate. We could not overhear other guests. With two kirs & two espressos the bill was $305 pre-tip. This is comparable or less than what we've paid at places like Le Cirque and in France for menus. Only drawback: we arrived and had to wait, standing, in the vestibule downstairs for a bit. It was a bit odd to not have a bar or place to sit before your meal. Pros: Vegetarian tastings, Quiet, Intimate Cons: Wine pairing, Waiting area more

For a restaurant so highly touted, my partner and I were very disappointed. The waiter was rude, seemingly talking down to us; he got our meals mixed up (okay at Applebee's, but not at a ""5-diamond"" restaurant. We were not offered 2nds on a champagne cocktail or iced tea. Salad was much too large. Dinner portions were appropriate (we like small portions). We dined early, and it appeared to us that they wanted us up and out, to turn the table over for the next shift. My partner had veal and it was tough. She had to saw through it. The rabbit that I had was somewhat tasteless. Was a good restaurant, not a great restaurant. Romantic? Not necessarily. Wouldn't go again. more

Overall the place has a very business like feel (albeit with Mary Stewart approved decor). A fair number of lawyers and bankers were talking shop with their guests, although many also had their significant others present. Serving size for the price was on the small side, and while service was prompter than usual for the crowd, the general tenor was a let down from the extravagance of tea at international hotel chains such at the Ritz Carlton and Hotel Intercontinental. All-in-all, perhaps done once, but not more than that. more

The overall atmosphere is romantic, clean and relaxing. I waited a bit longer to be seated because it was packed that night. The receptionist provided us champagne while wait. The food there is perfect. The staff were all vey helpful and friendly. Everything was just absolutely wonderful. Pros: food, staff, location Cons: wait more

Excellent Experience but a bit pricey :-) The food was scrumptious; delicate flavors with a unique presentation. For the people who appreciate good food, this restaurant worths a visit. Pros: Food, Atmosphere Cons: Price more

Excellent food, service and decor. Just one thing- the noise level to TOO low, so low that you can hear what the next table is saying, which takes away the whole romantic exprience. more

Dined there three times in last five years, most recently there 8/21/04 for our 10th anniversary. We save for fine-dining experiences. The service is impeccable (from roll server on up). The staff are highly informed and attentive with regard to every part of the meal. The food, from the breads on up, is out of this world and exactly what you'd expect at the price and, to reiterate, the staff do not get any more attentive than they do at L'Espalier. The ambience is classically elegant and the noise level is the extremely low. Overall, L'Espalier is a sublime dining experience. It will remain a beautiful memory for those who rarely engage in such fine dining and will love up to the high expectations of those who regularly do engage in such fine dining. Pros: Everything more