The Elephant Walk

01/14/2008 Posted by mitcoffee

When it comes to French-Cambodian cuisine, there are very few restaurants names in Boston that come to mind besides the Elephant Walk restaurants in the back bay and Cambridge. With this in mind, we went specifically for the change in palate, and what a surprisingly nice dinner it was. The back bay restaurant is discretely located on the East end of the BU campus- not too flashy from the outside, but upon entering- the ambience is pleasantly fancy. It accommodates to a wide variety of clientele- business partners. first dates, girls' parties, family dinners and local restauranteurs. We went on the night of a big Patriots game; yet it was rather packed! The staff was friendly, attentive- yet not overly in-your-face. As for food- the menu consists of cambodian and french cuisine- which was actually to our surprise since we'd expected the trendy 'fusion-cuisine.' Both of us went with cambodian- starting with spring rolls and a raw tuna/avocado salad- both of which was quickly yet delicately prepared- not too salty but flavorful, and furthermore: unusually generous in portions! For entrees- we went with the traditional braised/steamed seafood stew and the sea scallops- both of which were nothing like what we could've ever imagined! Delicious, not too salty (which is unfortunately the case for many restaurants!), delicate balance of different flavors, well-portioned, and beautifully presented. The mashed edamame that came with the scallops was particularly memorable! We indulged so much in the appetizers and entrees that had no room for dessert ! This restaurant comes well-recommended. Another note: for the food quality, service and ambience- this restaurant is not over-the-top in prices!

Pros: Ambience, Service, Unique cuisine

Cons: You might need to make a reservation!

05/07/2007 Posted by meemz

After waiting a long time to find the time to go to this highly recommended restaurant, we were utterly disappointed. Service was ok at best with the waitress not being knowledgeable of any menu items to recommend. My dish was described as "Signature Cambodian dish", but fell short of being even close to average. The seafood was overly fishy and the flavors were unpleasantly pungent. My bf's lamb was ordered medium rare and came out borderline medium-well done. Prices were insanely overpriced and the authenticity of Cambodian food was far from met. We have had a lot of great, authentic Cambodian food in Long Beach, California for half the price, which leads us to ascertain that Elephant Walk is an overly hyped, overly priced, mediocre restaurant claiming to creatively infuse French with Cambodian food with absolutely no success. Perhaps they should try to master Cambodian food and French food individually before attempting to infuse the two together. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

Pros: easily accessible

Cons: pricey, overrated, mediocre unauthentic food.

01/27/2007 Posted by kelbot74

I have been to this resturant many times when I have been in Boston on business and LOVED IT! Have always had great food and service. We recently moved to Boston and I was excited to bring my husband to one of my favorite resturants to much disappointment. Great atmosphere, however our waiter was the most incompetant person that I have ever experienced at a resturant. He took too long to bring our drinks (martinis not so cold) and the appetizer was also cold. The only good thing about the meal was the delicious wild boar that my husband ordered. The service was so poor that our empty drink glasses sat at the table as the wine was poured and we ate our main course. It was impossible to get the waiter's attention. When we did get his attention it was like we were asking for his first born or something. I will come back one more time, however I will make sure to request a more experienced waiter!

01/17/2007 Posted by msbhvn12106

All I have to say is that the staff was more than courteous and the let us stay a little past when they should have because we were so involved in our conversation. Food was excellent, and one last thing... LETTUCE WRAPS. Get 'em if you can....

Pros: Service, food

Cons: We ran out of time! Next time we know to make an earlier reservation.

12/10/2006 Posted by citylover77

Having always walked in front of the Elephant Walk I had never even paid much attention to this restaurant. It wasn't until someone recommended it that I decided to try it out with my boyfriend. The idea of a Cambodian-French cuisine could sound like an particular mix but we were really pleasantly surprised. The appetizer was wonderful and so were our entrees (we had one french and one cambodian, both extremely tasty and original) and then ended with a typical french chocolate layer cake. With two glasses of wine it came out to about 90 dollars but it was absolutely worth it! the waiter was also extremely nice and helpful! great for dates and for anyone wanting to try something new!

Pros: ambience, vegetarian/vegan friendly, service

11/02/2006 Posted by vanillamint

My friend and I made reservations so we could find out what a mixture of French and Cambodian cuisine would taste like. I ordered the duck and she ordered the lamb. We also had the cheese appetizer which was delicious! The waitstaff catered to our every need and were very friendly. The hardest part about eating at this restaurant is deciding which of the delectable entrees to order. The food and service were both perfect, but the atmosphere would probably be better suited to a couple on a date. Food this good is usually a lot more expensive, too!

Pros: Exquisite Entrees

08/02/2006 Posted by rnr7

We had a wonderful server who really made this a great dinner for the birthday guest of honor. Our reservation was honored with a prepared table set up with many pitchers of water. Our waitress was great; she was attentive and always polite despite our constant mind changing! The food was all unique and tasty - both french and cambodian. I loved my pomegranate margarita. My partner loved his french game hen. And we all loved each and every dessert.

Pros: Tasty food, good server, yummy drinks

Cons: Pricey

02/10/2006 Posted by sc81884

Ive been quite a few times now and I absolutely love this restaurant, the food is great! I love being able to switch from a cambodian soup to a french dinner. The tuna and filet mignon are so tasty! I have never had a bad experience here and im shocked to see so many unhappy reviews. The service is better than most restaurants in boston, but i guess it always depends on who you get as a server, I have my favorites :) It is a little pricy but it is a great place for a date. Me and my boyfriend love to go here. The food list and wine list are huge too. You can always find something that you would like. Definitely recommended

Pros: Service, Food, Valet Parking

Cons: Little Pricy

12/08/2005 Posted by cdina123

This place is awesome for a date or with a group. They have a great eclectic menu and a great wine list. The service is also great. The waiter I had knew a great deal about the menu and wines. Try to go early for dinner and you won't wait very long.

Pros: good parking, great menu and wine

12/07/2005 Posted by sameerhansen

I've been there three times now and everytime I wonder why I paid so much for mediocre food and service. All fish dishes are overly fishy in flavor (not fresh), the meats are never cooked to order and the wine is obsessively over priced. Every time I have ordered wine, they either bring the wrong one, don't show it to you, open it and then expect you to keep it. Every time. One time the waiter pushed the cork into the bottle. We talked to the manager and he said the wine would be just fine. Oh yeah, parking is impossible. Be prepared to walk.

Pros: Close to Fenway, Nice atmosphere, Large group room

Cons: Poor service, Unfresh food, Difficult parking