L'Espalier

Recommends

sparrowwithabell

Joined 7 years ago

Nice ambience but doesn't live up to the expectation. We went in a group of 3. Service was reasonably good, the space/ambience made us feel comfortable. Choices of menu, there is cheap, medium, expensive choice, but unless you can persuade all your parties to go for the next 2 levels, you are not allowed to order it which I find a bit unpleasant.

The food in general is good, some interesting ingredients and creative ways of cooking, but it doesn't live up to the *wow* expectation.

The drinks are reasonable and not overly over-priced.

I think for duck, cheaper cut of tenderloin, striped bass, not matter how you prepare them, it's just doesn't worth the price they charge ... somehow I think I'm better off for e.g. Kobe beef or first grade sashimi in OIshii.

Doesn't Recommend

Christine Liu

Joined 5 years ago

New England-French fusion offers an upscale and sophisticated dining experience in the Back Bay.. One of Boston's most storied establishments for immaculate, no-holds-barred high-end dining at its former location on Gloucester Street, L'Espalier mesmerizes diners anew in its second location in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Chef Frank McClelland ringeads everything from "seasonal degustations" to prix-fixe lunches, all sporting fresh and luxurious local ingredients. The cheese program, led by Louis Risoli, is unparalleled in the city and is not to be missed be anyone who can remotely tolerate lactose. The lounge-like, cushy-chaired salon is an ideal perch to look out onto the street with a drink, a plateful of avant-garde hors d'ouevres, and overarching service.