There is food, there are ingredients. There are notes and
chords, there are symphonies. I remember growing up and going to performance
after performance of John Williams at the helm of the Boston Pops.
Conductors like that don’t come around too
often.
Bostonians were moved and delighted
for years, even before Star Wars, E.T., Superman, and other non-extra-terrestrial
symphonic adventures.
But back to earth,
Mother earth - New England earth at that - and all its fruits.
At L’Espalier - the Boston gastronomic institution
- Williams’ notes and nuances have become the equivalent of a culinary Superman
sans Kryptonite.
L’Espalier Chef/Proprietor
Frank McClelland’s uses his seemingly other-worldly skills to create ambrosial
dishes of radishes and squab, daikon and soft shell crab.
What Williams did with film scores, McClelland
does with fresh ingredients and an ingenious kitchen, creating the most
memorable and exquisite masterpiece that is dining at L’Espalier, Boston.
We began the evening with sparkling water and rosé
champagne. The Chef’s bouche consisted of salmon and creamed cheese with fresh
dill on quartered toasts.
We also
enjoyed French breakfast radishes organically home-farmed, so fresh, served
with a light whipped butter.
A Vidalia
onion soup with green garlic, cauliflower, and potato was a creamy surprise,
especially with separately poured broth.
We moved on to fois gras done two ways.
One was pungent and smooth, and extremely
satisfying, like a cheesecake or smooth key lime pie.
This foie gras was firm, hearty, robust,
nutty, and substantive.
Served with
roasted strawberries both tart and sweet, sunflower sprouts , a sunchoke puree,
and wild leeks and tubular scallions, the flavors burst in the mouth, complementing
one another nicely.
The other foie gras was
a bit firmer still, and served with shaved whole white truffles, yet still so
melt-in your mouth. It was dense, flavorful, and wild scallions lent a crunchy
add.
A sweet fruit compote gelee accompanied
the fois gras, adding a light flavor that felt just as light on the palate.
We also tried the rabbit, the frog’s legs, escargot, and the
scallop appetizers.
Served with
champagne mushrooms, fennel, and toasted brioche, the frog legs were divinely
tender.
The escargot was served in its
own little pot with a white anchovy vinaigrette, making it buttery, light and
solid.
The scallops with green pea
mousse were nearly transparent.
They
were extremely moist and savory, while maintaining their lightness.
The rabbit was accompanied by a corn relish,
which blended the oh-so-slight game-y flavor of the rabbit.
L’Espalier then served up a grilled octopus appetizer with a
chili-lime vinaigrette.
Alongside was a
substantial amount of chickpeas, which rounded out the seafood nicely.
This was in no way your typical octopus, with
its multi-colors and firm flesh, it was a delight on the plate as well as to the
palate.
This was a great one to try if
you’re not used to eating octopus, because you might think it was lobster,
thanks to its tenderness.
We also tried
the soft shell crab, served with bean sprouts, lots of cilantro, and a daikon
salad with a chili glaze.
The hot pepper
wasn’t overpowering, and the crab was fresh and meaty.
At this point, we were getting so full it was hard to look
forward to the entrees, but there was still so much excellent food to be had, and
sol, we had to march on.
I chose the
blue marlin with potatoes and Greek yogurt served with an Indian curry of
coconut milk and shaved mango, root vegetables, and potato pancake.
The dish was sweet and spicy, piquant but
velvety.
The squab entrée was equally interesting, wrapped in cabbage
leaves, served with Parmesan.
Alongside
were fresh French breakfast radishes served with raspberries.
To top it off? A delicious risotto:
creamy and al dente, it is what most risottos
fail to achieve – that perfect combination of chewy and firm, but satisfyingly
smooth.
The cabbage-wrapped braised lamb sirloin entrée with eggplant
puree and roasted root vegetables was excellent. This dish is perfect for
lamb-lovers.
Sufficiently, but not
over-cooked, it was juicy, tasty and tender.
We also tried the air-dried chicken with truffles, and anyone who likes
chicken would love this dish.
The glazed
onions were amazing.
The meat was
fleshy, tender, moist, and sweet.
Served with tender asparagus, it could appeal
to the most discerning palate, or to even younger diners who may not be as
adventurous as their adult counterparts.
With Food Guru Nicholas Rivero as our server, we were
pleasantly escorted through the menu, gently gliding from plate to plate.
We tried several wines to accompany our
various dishes, including the Austrian Riesling, Huber 206.
It was dry and crisp, with just an undertone
of sweetness, but not overly sweet.
Ultimately,
it was more lemony-tasting, and not heavy. The light, yellow color spoke
volumes, reminding me of a dense lemon tart.
Delicious!
We also tried a
Muscat, Sarnos,
Greek.
The color resembled a pear, and the flavor
was deeper and richer than the Riesling.
We also tried the Chateau D’Aqueppia rosé, 2007, which was light,
lovely, crisp, and a perfect accompaniment to any number of our dishes.
Dessert consisted of a Greek ice cream/yogurt, which was a
bit salty, but interesting.
The Panna
Cotta with strawberries and raspberries was lovely.
And a grapefruit crème bruleé makes one
realize just how good it is to spend calories wisely on important finishes like
these.
Sadly, the cheese tray, while amazing, diverse, with every
selection perfectly aged one could ever want, could not be taken on.
So, we took the delicacies home. And each
piece was delightful in its own right. Even those who don’t know cheese will
appreciate the artisanal, aged, and refined selections.
L’Espalier is open and airy, chic, but warm.
At once classic, and modern - and see-through
and opaque simultaneously - L’Espalier straddles these two worlds well.
It’s easy to have quiet, convivial business
conversation with candles dancing their light on tables:
it’s a lively, but respectful atmosphere.
With low chandeliers, a private dining room (much
darker, and a bit more like the former L’Espalier space), and muted tones of
grey, green, and silver, L’Espalier can feel like more of a night-time romantic
hot spot than entirely a high-end business dinner restuarant (although it is
that too). With Miles Davis playing his signature jazz in low background music,
the ambiance at L’Espalier speaks volumes of class.
Quiet at 6, it was very lively at 7pm.
At 7:30pm, high-end business diners arrived,
and this on a Wednesday night.
At 8pm,
the restaurant was at its busiest.
What I like most about L’Espalier is that it makes food
accessible.
The food is flavorful and
full of life.
The kitchen is loud and
fun.
This is not a restaurant in which
patrons would ever feel awkward, even if they’re not overly familiar with
high-end dining establishments.
L’Espalier is also the expert on absolute French service:
there are a million people to one.
Yet Chef Frank McClelland makes the food
approachable for everyone. To him, it seems, it’s all about making a
connection.
And, we can be grateful for an
authentic one, at that.
