Dinner at L’ESPALIER is about to begin!

Finally found Pappy!!

Wellfleet oyster with American caviar and champagne gelée

Rosemary Chiabatta with whipped butter dallops

Apple Street Farm egg custard and Siberian Sturgeon caviar

Butter poached Casco Bay lobster with potatoes, linguica and sweet corn purée

Seared Hudson Valley foie gras “royale” with Concord grape, Chartreuse meringue, pistachio sable and port wine veil

Intermezzo; Chantilly and vanilla ice cream, granite flavored with gin and champagne; everything served over macha sable crumbs

Nova Scotia halibut with a warm Apple Street Farm new potato salad, pancetta, egg yolk, and creamed corn

Long Island confit leg of duck with Apple Street Farm baby eggplant, cauliflower purée and chanterelles

Lydia lamb cassoulet with beans, braised pork and roasted Vidalia

Grand Fromage; (from left to right) Pecorino Ginepro of Emilia-Rogagna, Italy; Robiola a Tres Latti of Piedmont, Italy; Lakes Edge of Blue Ledge Farm, Salisbury, Vermont; Tarentaise of Spring Brook Farm, Reading, Vermont; Maxx 365 of Canton Thurgau, Switzerland; Willoughby of Jasper Hill, Greensboro, Vermont; Roquefort of Gabriel Coulet, Rouergue, France

Apricot sorbet with croustillant and fluid gel

On the left: white peach sorbet w/macerated peaches served over a vanilla bomba cake
On the right: flour-less chocolate decadence cake; topped with a little buttermilk panna cotta
Milk bourbon fluid gel and peach fluid gel decorate the plate.

Oh my goodness.. The combination of service, attention to detail, quality of food, and presentation were all top notch and worth every penny! I even got to enjoy Pappy Van Winkle!! I’ve been looking everywhere for that guy!! 🙂

Upon arriving and looking at the menu, I knew immediately what I was going to have. The Chef’s Tasting Journey. When a chef has such respect and understanding of the ingredients, there should be no doubt that the meal will be amazing. No substitutions, no allergies. I’m all in! And wow, when each dish is gorgeous, it makes for shooting food so easy! As you know, I’m all about showcasing the food as you would see it at the restaurant and wow.. you’re definitely in for a treat. Favorite dish was definitely the farm egg custard as the flavor was just superb! A special mention goes out to the intermezzo.; such a pleasant way to cleanse the palate. Honestly, all the dishes were fabulous.

A must try.

Fun fact: I was the first to enter the restaurant and one of the last to leave. Total dining time = 5 hours; a true journey that I would gladly do again!

L’ESPALIER (information gathered 9/2012)
774 Boylston Street
Boston Massachusetts 02199
617.262.3023
Hours
Lunch
Mon – Fri 11:30am – 2:30pm
Sat & Sun 12:00pm – 1:45pm
Dinner
Daily 5:30pm – 10:30pm
Tea
Sat & Sun 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Salon – Cocktails & small bites
Sun – Thur 5:00pm -10:30pm
Fri & Sat 5:00pm – 11:30pm

Parking
Parking anywhere in Boston is rather tough; ended up parking at the a deck off of Massachusetts Ave and Newbury. I’m sure there is somewhere closer but I  actually wanted to do some walking along Newbury St. Would recommend just doing valet. They can give you details at the number above.

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