m.henrietta, Chicago IL

Seeing as vacation was too short – as it almost invariably always is – our final day in Chicago would be restricted to only breakfast before beginning the drive back to Toledo and with my plans including a return to Columbus after dropping mother and aunt off I knew I wanted something hearty to last me through the day – a desire I had little doubt would be fulfilled by m.henrietta, the sister restaurant of one of my favorite brunches of all time. Featuring the same concept as its older sibling (local, seasonal, fresh, and organic) but reportedly with shorter lines and plenty of inexpensive/free parking just off the Loyola campus our arrival at m.henrietta would be surprisingly early despite my long morning run and just as promised we walked through the front door to find the restaurant approximately 1/2 full at 8:30am.

With the sun shining through large picture windows and the space decorated quite similarly to its North Clark sibling we were greeted shortly after entering the restaurant by a young woman who invited us to taste some samples – a blueberry poppyseed muffin and a slice of chocolate pound cake both still warm and tasty – prior to being led to our table where another young lady named Katie would take over again welcoming us and subsequently filling waters while handing us menus and taking drink orders. With mannerisms a bit rushed as it appeared she was the only server currently staffing the dining room we were invited to “take our time – and check out the bakery case” as she stepped away.

With the menu largely similar to that at m.henry yet featuring several seasonal variations it would not take us long to decide on our selections and despite the staffing issues Katie would return within moments carrying two coffees – a nutty blend by Metropolis – plus my aunt’s orange juice and when told we were ready to order she smiled stating “all the best stuff – great choices” before again returning to the front and subsequently returning less than ten minutes later with not only the first of many perfectly timed coffee refills, but also with a small order of the house-signature “amazing breakfast bread pudding” – a dish we’d experienced once prior at m.henry but this time perhaps even better with the brioche more dense and buttery, the custard sweeter, and the compliment of fruit a bit less overwhelming of the notes of cinnamon and vanilla.

Making short work of the bread pudding and with the restaurant now beginning to fill up our primary plates would arrive perhaps twenty-five minutes after we entered the restaurant and with each of us opting for sweets over savories the selections were exactly what I’d hoped for beginning first with my aunt’s selection of the daily special “Peach Blueberry French Toast,” a two-slice stack of thick cut golden brioche with a lovely exterior crunch and custard soft interior stuffed with (and subsequently topped with) warm peaches, whole blueberries, vanilla crème, brown sugar, and toasted oats that was every bit as good as the bread pudding and perhaps even better given the textural variation created by the oats.

Unable to get enough of the henry/henrietta family brioche and ever a fan of lemon in all forms my mother’s selection for the morning was another French Toast that would prove every bit as lovely as my aunt’s, but this time lacking the oats and instead described as “Lemon raspberry brioche french toast” served with two slices of dense and crispy Applewood smoked bacon. With the bread this time stacked three high and dusted in powdered sugar plus a dollop of warm house made lemon curd and sweet raspberry coulis I have to admit that although I am not a fan of lemon in general I quite liked the mildness of this presentation while my mother deemed it her favorite breakfast of the trip by far.

With the French Toast as good as our previous visit my selection for the morning would be a seasonal variation of another dish we’d tasted before – the appropriately named “bliss cakes,” this time presented as two light and fluffy hotcakes layered with warm blackberries, vanilla mascarpone cream and topped similarly to my aunt’s French Toast with a brown sugar and oat crust with the whole stack floating in a pool of sweetened blackberry reduction that negated any need for syrup but instead left me wishing for one more cake or perhaps a slice of that brioche to soak up every last drop.

With the restaurant now full (and a few more servers circulating) Katie again returned to clear our plates and asking us if there was anything else we’d like I requested a “to go” cup for my coffee along with the check – a wish that was happily granted and with the bill paid we made our way to the streets less than fifty minutes after entering m.henrietta all the happier for having visited and wishing for the umpteenth time that a place even half this good existed in Northwest or Central Ohio.

Doughnut Vault, Black Dog Gelato, Alliance Bakery, Hot Chocolate, Atwood Cafe Chicago IL

Having just returned from Boston a week earlier the turnaround time for yet another trip to the Windy City was short, but with NEXT reservations and a trip to the Rookery as well as Wright’s Home, Studio, and Walking Tour of Oak Park as the impetus for the trip and two of my very favorite people coming along for the ride I knew it would be a whirlwind of great memories. As the reigning champion on my list of favorite Breakfast/Brunch cities and resting near the apex of best dining cities overall the question of where to eat was harder than it should have been, but after much debate three breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners made the final cut along with a number of snacks in between.

Having gotten up at my traditional “insane” hour according to my mother for a nice run our departure from her home in Northwest Ohio would precede sunrise by a few hours and making great time our arrival to Chicago would not only beat the rush hour traffic, but also leave us waiting outside our first stop before the doors opened…in a line of about ten that would subsequently grow to thirty or more at a relative newcomer to the local food scene; The Doughnut Vault.

Located in a doorway off North Franklin and open from “Tuesdays-Friday starting at 8:30am until we run out. And Saturdays at 9:30am until we run out” The Doughnut Vault is the brainchild of Brendan Sodikoff who also owns Chicago’s “Gilt Bar” (and a pretty impressive resume including time with Keller and Ducasse) and although there have been some detractors calling his success yet another food fad, it is hard to argue with lines greater than twenty deep ever since opening in April and having never been “wowed” by a doughnut I took my place in queue as we watched the metermaids do their thing.

With the line growing slowly the doors would open at 9:30 on the dot and as mostly locals and regulars stood at the front it would be no time at all before we found ourselves before a nice young woman dancing to cheesy 80s music and with a quick exchange of “What can I get you?”, “One of each.”, “Good choice - $14, cash only.” we were on the street again with a big box of doughnuts including a Gingerbread Stack, Old Fashioned Buttermilk, Vanilla Glazed, Chocolate Glazed, and Pistachio Glazed – all still warm – and all shockingly delicious despite my previous convictions about fried dough.

Beginning first with the gingerbread stack – three “smaller” doughnuts (IE a normal sized doughnut like you might get from Dunkin) – these were the heaviest of the quintet and but despite the cakey texture they were anything but oily, instead similar to a coffee cake and loaded with spicy notes, cinnamon, and sugar. Moving next to the Buttermilk – another dense cakelike doughnut, smaller (and cheaper) than the others – something like a cruller but with tangy notes, a melt-in-the-mouth glaze, and not a bit of greasiness. Last but not least – the glazed trio – each at least twice the size of a “normal” doughnut yet nearly as light as a glazed Krispy Kreme with a wispy yeasty interior contrasting with a slightly crisp sugary shell first coated in the same glaze as the buttermilk but then with an additional layer of flavoring – each delectable but most impressive the Pistachio with subtle smoky notes and bits of crushed nut for texture; easily on par with the best baked breakfast goods I’ve had in Chicago and well worth both the $3 and getting out of bed early enough to avoid the line.

With sightseeing consuming much of our first day a second snack stop on this trip to Chicago was another relative newcomer to the scene – this time in the frozen variety from Black Dog Gelato, a small shop in the Ukrainian Village that wasn’t necessarily “on our way back” from Oak Park, but a relatively short detour hopefully well worth it for those of us with an eye for esoteric ice cream flavors. Oft raved by local gourmands and sourced by local chefs for their dessert menus it was with luck that we not only found Black Dog to be unbusy, but also that we found free parking right next door.

With twelve flavors on rotation and three young ladies working on cookies and house-whipped cream in the back it was without delay that we were greeted and with The Shins playing overhead our smiley server suggested to “let me know if there’s anything you’d like to taste” before we even made it to the counter; and taste we did, making it through ten of the flavors before we finally decided to order three small ($4.75) cups with two flavors in each and a clear predilection for sweet meets savory.

Beginning with the one flop, at least to me, Mexican Hot Chocolate was simply one of those flavors that worked as a small bite but when served in quantity proved to be not only overwhelming but damned hot. Creamy and textural to be sure it was just too much on its own, but vastly improved when mixed with Salted Peanut – a mellow and smooth flavor somewhat akin to the inside of a peanut butter cup but far more buttery. Moving on to “safer” but delectable options, Butterscotch Bourbon Pecan and Pistachio would both taste very much like their namesake ingredients with the Butterscotch tasting largely like a southern-style pecan pie rendered into a silky dense gelato. Finally, amongst the more interesting and challenging flavors, Goat Cheese-Cashew Caramel and Sesame Fig Chocolate Chip would prove most delightful – particularly the sesame fig chocolate combination which was equal parts sweet and savory, smooth and crunchy but a bit less dense than I’d have expected from gelato – perhaps a good thing considering the amount of eating we did on this trip, but overall enough to make me say I appreciate what Black Dog is doing but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it at such a high price point.

For our finally mid-day bite in Chicago – this one on day two – we opted for an older member of the culinary scene that I’d actually walked into once prior during the Renegade Art Fair but neglected to buy from due to the line; Wicker Park’s own Alliance Bakery. Again scoring free parking and making our way to the shop with ease as hipsters and families alike dined on the sunny patio a stop at the window was mandatory first simply to witness the masterful cakes ranging from Green Eggs n’ Ham to Macaron towers to three tiered wedding cakes.

With the doors open letting in a cool breeze (and letting out the wonderful smells of butter and vanilla) we next made our way in to see what Chef Peter Rios and a team of youngsters (both in the kitchen and at the counter) had on display and after a few tough decisions we emerged from the shop to enjoy our choices on the patio.

Beginning first with the French classics, my mother selected two Macarons – one Blueberry Cheesecake and the other Passion fruit chocolate – both textbook in texture with a crackling shell giving way to lovely filling, but the Passion fruit Chocolate so cloyingly sweet that between two of us the $2 cookie went unfinished. Thankfully the Blueberry Cheesecake fared much better.

Moving next to two of the standards by which I judge a bakery my aunt’s and my selection were a Red Velvet Cupcake and the Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding. Beginning first with the cupcake, a $3.50 selection with good notes of cocoa and a tangy cream cheese frosting started out with a good base, but was unfortunately a bit dry – so much so that when my aunt took a bite the back half fell off landing directly on her chest; a comedic event to be sure, but not exactly the way a cupcake should be remembered. Moving next to the Bread Pudding which was served in a small tin topped with a sugar lacquered strawberry and powdered – it was dense and it was sweet, no more and no less but thankfully only $2.50.

With sightseeing, breakfasts, lunches, snacks and bites shared with the family while dinners were either with friends (NEXT) or flying solo (Avenues,) both nights of the trip would see me reconvene with my mother and aunt after dinner for dessert – a sweet ending to an evening pizza for them and a third or fourth bit of indulgence for myself (but who’s counting?) – and on the first night our target after drinks and bites at Aviary would be a place my aunt had always wanted to visit and a place that had for too long flown under my radar; Mindy Segal’s newly renamed “Mindy’s Hot Chocolate” on North Damen.

Described by optimists as an upscale café with great desserts and by detractors as an “overpriced urban bistro” with savories lagging far behind the sweets our trip to the four time Beard Award Nominee’s flagship admittedly came with a bit of warning – namely that the place can be wildly inconsistent, loud, and that after 9:00pm seating could be tricky – and after once again finding free parking (clearly our lucky day) we walked through the front doors to find two out of three to be true instantaneously; the place was deafening and our options for seating included the lounge or “about an hour for a table.”

With a quick glance to the ladies and a brief browsing of the depleted pastry case we elected for the lounge not only because it seemed quite and comfortable, but also because the clock was pushing 10:00pm and we’d not yet even checked into our hotel and without hesitation we were led to a cozy corner with long leather benches and appropriately low lying tables complete with silverware, candles, and water glasses that were filled without hesitation. Greeted next by our server, Laura K, we were asked if we’d ever visited before and on stating we had not she explained to us that each “dessert” was generally composed of two to three different items and we were left to decide – a process that took no time at all as we’d already researched the online menu en route to Chicago.

With orders placed and service appropriate but largely separated from the lounge throughout the evening the first item to arrive was a prerequisite given the restaurant’s name and although not quite as transcendent as that at Jacques Genin or LA Burdick the Black and Tan Hot Chocolate made of 1/3 hot fudge and 2/3 medium cocoa hot chocolate was certainly rich, creamy, and entirely too much for one person (especially after a full day of eating.) Sharing it around the three of us it was interesting to hear different impressions – all positive, but each catching different notes in the chocolate from vanilla to honey to fruit.

Moving on to the proper desserts – each priced at $11 – my mother’s choice was the restaurant’s signature “Chocolate #1(64%)” featuring a warm chocolate soufflé tart topped with salted caramel ice cream and a tuille of housemade pretzel; an exercise in balance and every bit worthy of its acclaim. Beginning first with the tart – hot, molten, and bitter – sure the concept of a lava cake is played, but as long as it made with great care and better chocolate it really doesn’t matter, especially when it is matched with extra sweet yet subtly saline ice cream and a crunchy salty sourdough pretzel for texture.

Moving on to my dessert, a seasonal option titled “My Honey Pie” and featuring “warm and luscious honey pie with honey-roasted peanuts, honey caramel, berry-rose syrup, graham cracker and ‘PB&J’ Ice Cream Sandwich this dish was another winner, but a case where one less ingredient could have been more. Beginning first with the pie – I love honey, I love peanuts, and I love caramel so it is needless to say that the warm gooey amalgam poured inside a thick buttery graham cracker shell had ‘had me at hello’ even before Segal crash landed a peanut butter and grape jelly ice cream sandwich directly into it. Already with a lot going on – fruit, honey, sweet, savory, hot, cold, gooey, and crunchy – the unfortunate aspect of this dish was not knowing when to quit, specifically in reference to the cloyingly sweet syrup whose perfume did nothing but distract from the pie’s nuance even though it was present in only a small quantity.

For the final dessert, my aunt’s (and the one I’d have ordered had she not,) “O’Dan-A-Banana” featuring a ‘nilla puddin’ icebox cake with ‘nilla wafers, cocoa nib ganache, vanilla bean pudding, bananas foster sauce, and a chocolate phosphate was everything I’d hoped for when planning to visit Hot Chocolate and then some. Beginning first with the phosphate – it was a textbook old school chocolate soda with a bit of extra thickness from the cream and although sweet the slight sour from the phosphate proved a perfect foil to the other half of the plate; a cake that would have been more appropriately described as a horizontal mille-feuille with alternating layers of thick banana pudding diving crispy house made wafers doused with caramelized banana chunks in a hot boozy sauce plus a bit of extra chocolate for good measure – all in all the best dessert I’d taste on this entire visit to Chicago.

With the bill paid and people still continuing to file in even as we exited the restaurant around 10:30 we thanked our server and again made our way to the street where a short drive would land us at our hotel exhausted, full, and happy to have experienced Segal’s intriguing concoctions even though not all were perfect and despite the fact that our ears were still ringing as though we’d just been to a concert as opposed to a restaurant (okay, slight exaggeration.) That said, having now experienced the scene at night I’d definitely not hesitate to return for brunch to see the savory side of the menu – and to try those brioche doughnuts the girl at the table next to us was eating.

Moving on to our final non-meal bites of the trip, the second night’s dessert setting would feature one of Chicago’s elder restaurants – The Atwood Café located inside the classic Reliance Building – a fitting end to a day that saw us spend most of our time downtown browsing Chicago’s iconic architecture from The Rookery to The Watertower and a distinct opposite from the loud cutting edge scene of the previous night at Mindy’s Hot Chocolate.

Making our way into the small restaurant by way of the hotel we were greeted first by tuxedoed door men and then by a friendly host named Patrick who would additionally act as our server for the evening. With the hour again past 10:00 we were told the main menu was no longer available and confirming that just desserts and coffee was our intent we were led to a nice four top in the middle of the heavily draped and upholstered room where we found both silverware and menus continuing the robust art-deco theme. With water poured and coffee offered and accepted by myself it was little time before our decisions were made and with a jovial “all the best choices” Patrick disappeared only to return moments later with both water refills and coffee warm-ups and once again ten minutes later with our dessert selections.

Without a bad sounding selection on the menu, the first dessert – my mother’s – would be the most “plain” yet at the same time perhaps the most intriguing, a dish called Buttermilk Pie with Huckleberry Compote. Described as being fashioned after something the pastry chef’s mother used to make at a diner down south and somewhere between tangy custard and sweet panna cotta baked into a soft shortbread crust this simple pie was topped with pan reduced huckleberries bursting with their juices and a dollop of whipped cream that served more to smooth than to sweeten – all in all this was diner food dressed up and down-home delicious.

Moving next to the more complex menu options, my aunt’s choice for the evening would be Red Velvet Cookie Dough with Goat Cheese Icing and Beet Puree – clearly another southern inspired dish, but this time reconstructed from the ground up with dollops of what literally tasted like chocolate chip cookie dough touched with cocoa and cream beneath inverted ice cream cones and resting atop a thick and tangy cream cheese. With the earthy flavor of beets both spread across the base of the plate and lacquering the inside of the cones this dish was far less sweet than what most folks would expect from Red Velvet (as popularized by the cupcake craze) but actually much more interesting though I must admit the texture of the cookie dough did get to be a bit much at times.

Rounding up the trio with my choice, a choice that would have been a no-brainer on any menu in America for me, Fig Bread Pudding with Lemon Basil Sorbet and Chantilly Cream was every bit as good as anticipated…or at least the Bread Pudding and Chantilly Cream were. Beginning first with the pudding – to be fair it was less bread pudding and more a traditional English Steamed pudding rich with both creamy and fibrous bits heavily accented with notes of honey, cinnamon, and brown sugar, but semantics aside it was great, especially when paired with the light and smooth Chantilly plus drizzles of honey fig sauce on the plate. Loving the bulk of the plate and really rather indifferent to the sorbet I’ll only note that while it didn’t really “hurt” anything, the sweet and savory concoction certainly did not compliment the dish in any conceivable manner and would have likely been served with another dish while pairing something more fitting with the pudding.

With no pressure to leave as Rat Pack standards played overhead we sat for a while enjoying our desserts while I sipped my coffee before Patrick would stop by again to make sure all was well and suggest we request the bill “whenever we were ready.” Another cup of coffee later and at this point not really making much difference in my fatigue the bill was next collected and paid with a sizable tip and after declining a cab since we’d driven we made our way to the streets which, save for the elevated train were largely quiet, and with my mother opting to drive I fell asleep almost the moment we got into the car - a well earned food coma if I do say so myself.

Eastern Standard Kitchen, Boston MA

When I arrived in Boston my Monday lunch had originally been unscheduled; on one hand I figured I’d be getting a bit worn down by the conference by that point but at the same time I did not want to marry myself to anything specific in the event that I was not...at least that was the plan until I ate at Island Creek Oyster Bar two days prior and walked by their sister restaurant Eastern Standard en route to Fenway the same day. Having already heard about Eastern Standard from locals and duly impressed by Owner/Chef (and L’Espalier trained) Jeremy Sewall’s approach at ICOB I checked out the menu and called to make reservations along with a “if possible” request that would turn out to be quite possible.

With the best lectures of the day largely pooled in the morning hours and Eastern Standard featuring lunch, dinner, and “mid-day” seatings (and menus) I scheduled my reservation at the very end of lunch and arriving at 2:20 I was right on time. With the restaurant 95% empty save for a couple at the bar and a few folks on the patio when I arrived I was greeted first by a pair of hostesses (who would actually be interviewing new wait staff during my visit) and told I could sit anywhere I liked. Opting for a table near the patio but protected from the sun I was seated at a nice marble two-top table with vintage leather chairs and next visited by Ksenia, my omnipresent server, who would present the lunch menu and descriptions of the daily specials, charcuterie, and soup.

Wanting to sample broadly from the eclectic menu and having already confirmed that my special request from the dinner menu could be accommodated at lunch I sat and decided for a few moments and after being told the stuffed dates were sold out my order was placed, water was filled, and I was left to soak in the nostalgic feel of the room and music while I waited watching folks walk by on Commonwealth. With Dean Martin overhead and a red vinyl couch and pictures of Marilyn Monroe to my right it would not be long before Ksenia would appear at my table with my first bites of Eastern Standard’s cuisine – a small plate with five half slices of Whole Wheat Sourdough and smooth unsalted butter. With fond memories still lingering of the impressive bread and butter at Island Creek I will merely note that this bread was a bit of a letdown only for that reason, otherwise it was serviceable table bread served warm and baked in house.

Opting for three appetizers as opposed to an appetizer and a main course my first dish to arrive from the kitchen was my request from the dinner menu and delivered hot with golden brioche “match sticks” Pan Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Rhubarb and Fennel Cream was a very good preparation with sweet and savory holding one another in check while also each complimenting the delicate liver in entirely different ways. Ample in portion and equally in flavor I’ll note that while I personally would have benefitted from more of the golden brioche this is a minor quibble I have pretty much everywhere except places where it is replaced anew during the course of the dish.....and even then I really can’t say no to more brioche.

With the foie gras as good as hoped it would be a bit of a delay, perhaps 25 minutes of reading my conference books, before my second and third plates would arrive – one excellent, one not so much. Beginning first with the daily charcuterie plate with mustard, cornichons, and pickled onions the days selections on the bargain $14 board would be Coppa, Salami, Prosciutto, Duck Rillets, Lamb terrine with mint, and Veal tongue – all excellent examples, but particularly the rillets and the veal tongue which were both a bold balance of spices, salinity, and texture.

Having noted my disappointment with the accompanying dish I will note a caveat in that when I mentioned the issue – namely overcooked egg and undercooked sweetbreads – it was replaced immediately and not only was an apology offered, but the dish was comped as well…but unfortunately it still was not all that good. Titled Frisee aux Lardons with Hazelnuts, Sweetbreads, and Poached Egg this salad certainly had all the makings of a great dish, but unfortunately the gaminess of the sweetbreads when combined with too heavy a hand with the vinaigrette led to something muddled, heavy, and simply lacking the balance I’d hoped.

With my primary target of the afternoon being a dessert (even more so than the Foie Gras) my order was placed without need for a menu and when delivered I knew immediately that this would be one of the highlights of the trip. Described as “Butterscotch Bread Pudding with Praline Ice Cream and Salted Caramel” and delivered as a steaming hot square absolutely smothered with liquid caramel the only way to sum up this dish is with the Def Leppard lyric – “I’m hot, sticky sweet.” With the pudding thick and creamy, the caramel salty and smooth, and the ice cream retaining its temperature by clever placement atop a thick praline this was everything a pan-style bread pudding should be and one of the best I’ve ever tasted.

With caramel, foie gras, egg, pork, and sweetbreads now competing for stomach space my server arrived once again to ask me if there was anything else I’d like and joking that a nap would be nice I was cleverly oriented to the fact that Eastern Standard was attached to a hotel (something I’d have never guessed as it certainly does not feel like a “hotel restaurant”) and with the bill paid I thanked the team and made my way outdoors for a nice walk to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts to see the Chihuly exhibit. With my last dinner of the trip still to come I can without a doubt say that for a place marketing itself as a “kitchen” or “bar,” the food and service that Eastern Standard is offering is certainly more befitting of a proper restaurant and one well worth a visit for those traveling to Boston – especially for dessert.

L'Espalier, Boston MA

As one of the earlier East Coast members of the “farm to table” revolution and a regular amongst the “best of” lists in various local and regional publications dinner at L’Espalier was the easiest dining choice I made in all of Boston. Of course I’d heard the rumors that Frank McClelland was spending less and less time overseeing the operations of his flagship restaurant since migrating near the Mandarin Oriental Hotel but under the well trained hand of Shane O’Neill I had little doubt the of the kitchen’s capabilities and given the local sourcing of many of its ingredients from McClelland’s organic Apple Street Farm I had no reason to doubt that no matter who was cooking on the night of my meal the food ‘should’ be delicious….and of course a little extra assurance by literally dining in the kitchen didn’t hurt either. Having planned for this to be my longest, most elaborate, and most expensive meal during my trip the necessary contacts were made through Daria Caritano approximately two months in advance and with my time of arrival set to be 7:00pm everything went according to plan as I entered the lobby at five minutes to seven.

With greetings offered by a pair of capped doormen and my reservation confirmed my first stop at L’Espalier was the elevator to the main dining room floor – a ride during which I’d clearly been pronounced to the hostess at the top of the lift as I was greeted by name and my bags were checked before the doors had even fully opened. With the maître d’hôtel soon to arrive and again all smiles and pleasantries I was introduced to at least fifteen members of the staff en route to (and through) the kitchen where I would finally land at a large four-top behind a glass window overlooking the entirety of the kitchen. Seated on a comfortable high stool with padded lumbar support I was next greeted by Chef O’Neill and encouraged to “make yourself comfortable – we’ve got a lot of great dishes planned for you tonight” and with that the maître d’ suggested I remove my coat “because it gets pretty warm” and instructed me on the use of my own private air conditioner.

With the kitchen moving at a frenetic yet focused pace due to two large graduation parties and a rehearsal dinner the next man to greet me would be Shah – for all intents and purposes my own personal server for the evening. A quiet yet knowledgeable man whose tenure at the restaurant dated back to its prior location the only two decisions of the evening would arrive quickly – the first being whether I’d prefer still or sparkling water and the second being the selection of a cocktail or wine to go with my meal. Left with the extensive wine list and slightly less substantial cocktail menu to decide for a moment while my water was fetched I must note that although I generally do not drink the cocktail menu at L’Espalier proved to be one of the most intriguing I’d seen in some time and in the end it was not a matter of deciding whether I wanted one of the $15 beverages but rather which – a decision Shah made easy on me when he affirmed one of the three I’d considered to be his favorite.

With the decisions part of the night taken care of within 10 minutes of seating I was once again left by myself to watch the action of the kitchen and all its chefs, dynamics, dramas, lectures, ebbs and flows – an experience not unlike that in many cooking shows yet vastly more real and interactive as home life was discussed, skills were honed, jokes were made, and in one case a licked spoon re-entering a sauce pan resulted in an entire course being restarted (and extra cleaning duties at shift’s end for the offending party) – to say the least it was an experience like no other and everything that anyone ate at L’Espalier during my three hour meal was mine to observe, question, and enjoy.

With the kitchen (and air conditioner) humming the first item to arrive at my table was in fact not my cocktail but rather a pair of canapés – one a creamy goat cheese gougere and the other a creamy slice of Foie Gras terrine with cherry compote served on a porcelain spoon – both excellent and a sweet/savory pairing that served their purpose admirably to awaken the palate.

With canapés consumed and amuses en route Shah would arrive next with my “Red Sidecar” shaken and poured tableside featuring Myers Dark Rum, Cognac, Pomegranate, and Fresh Orange. Admittedly a lightweight when it comes to alcohol but generally an admirer of rum based drinks when I do opt to imbibe this drink was right up my alley with a lot of sweetness included a sugared rim to balance the woody aromatic blend of cognac and rum.

Arriving shortly after the cocktail and announced as my amuse bouche of the evening Copper River Salmon Crudo with crème fraiche, buckwheat crumble, and caper “caviar” would prove to be not only very texturally compelling, but also quite interesting in replicating the traditional smoked salmon and caviar experience without using eggs or a smoker at all.

Having heard great things about the bread service at L’Espalier I would not be let down when Shah arrived next at my table with a basket of warm house made bread nine slices deep paired with a round of sweet butter with sea salt. With the nightly options consisting of Rosemary Focaccia, Pretzel Roll, Multigrain Wheat, and Fig it was with much restraint that I limited my intake of bread between courses, though I will fully admit to taking only a bite or two of the multigrain while finishing each of the other options and requesting another couple slices of the fig to accompany the selections served with the cheese board later.

Now well settled in and watching the kitchen produce forty orders of sweetbreads for one of the parties while the pastry team sliced an enormous white cake crafted for the rehearsal the tasting menu proper would begin with something I more or less expected considering the city I was visiting – an oyster. Titled “Misty Point Oyster, mignonette, North American Caviar” this relatively straight forward preparation was served shucked from the shell in an elegant double glass bowl with a touch of liquid nitrogen doing double duty as temperature control and special effects. With the oyster itself smooth and surprisingly sweet and the mignonette flavors fashioned by the combination of the foam and the jus this tasty bite went down smoothly with the caviar adding a touch more brine and texture.

With courses arriving on average at ten minute intervals and flawless timing and execution the rule throughout the evening my second course would be one of the most memorable of the night both for its wonderful flavor and for its relative simplicity. Titled Apple Street Farm egg mousse with white sturgeon caviar and featuring a creamy sweetened pudding rife with egg yolk juxtaposed against briny bubbles of caviar it was like Keller’s Oysters and Pearls minus the oyster plus more cream.

Moving through the list of my favorite ingredients the third item of the evening was Butter Poached Main lobster with garlic emulsion, English peas, and ham consommé – a dish prepared a la minute by O’Neill as the team prepared twelve menu lobster courses for one of the parties and in my case pairing a snappy half tail simply with sweet shucked peas, mellow yet heady garlic, and the slightest essence of smoky ham.

Course four would prove to be my favorite of the night and having the opportunity to watch the sous-chef break down six or seven whole lobes of foie gras over the course of my meal I gained a whole new respect for the time and skill needed to make the ingredient shine. This time the same preparation as on the nightly menu, Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with almond cake, salted caramel and green almond milk foam was one of the best seared Foie Gras preps I’ve had in recent memory with the supple organ meet creamy on the inside and caramelized on the exterior pairing perfectly with the almond sponge and dehydrated nut butter on the plate’s left. Generally preferring my liver sweet to savory the addition of the airy nuanced almond foam and smears of sticky caramel worked beautifully for me, though I will note that for some this dish may have proven “too sweet” for so early in the meal because in all reality it undeniably could’ve been served as dessert and I’d not have complained one bit.

Course five would be another dish that seemed somewhat oddly placed as it functioned almost as an early meal palate cleanser prior to beginning the heftier proteins but having enjoyed meals at places like Alinea and VOLT where the savory sweet savory sweet flow is seamlessly incorporated into the progression of the meal the only problem with “Buffalo milk panna cotta with Tabasco tomato caviar/Ricotta crumble/olive oil gelee, matcha crumble and eucalyptus sorbet, Strawberry watermelon cocktail with strawberry sphere” was that there was simply too much going on for a single plate even if the “plate” was in fact three distinct entities. Beginning first with the ice cream as it was the most likely to melt I will note that this singular fraction of a dish was the only failure of the night at L’Espalier – too minty, too grassy, too potent. Moving next to the Panna Cotta – a huge swing in the other direction – this deconstructed caprese was flawless and tinged with a bit of heat that brought everything together. Finally, the cocktail was molecular gastronomy personified with the fizzy strawberry layer floating atop a thicker watermelon broth containing an “egg” filled with creamy strawberry foam.

With one of the parties wrapping up it was around this time that the kitchen started to slow down a bit and the chefs became more conversant discussing their techniques, sourcing, and concepts while inviting questions. For the sixth course I was served “Georges Bank Halibut with Prince Edward Island Mussels, Parmesan Gnocchi, English peas, and Truffled egg yolk” – an absolutely lovely dish with a portion-size big enough to constitute a main at many a fine dining establishments. With the fish itself faultlessly prepared and featuring a golden sear over-top moist flesh and the hand formed gnocchis nearly the same texture as the mussels this base of this dish was strong with the flavors of the sea while the whole peas, carrots, and pea puree formed a sweet vegetal note mellowed by notes of truffle.

Next up the kitchen would bring the funk and the heat in the form of Veal Sweetbreads, confit ox tongue, pickled shimeji mushroom, and horseradish cream – sort of an upscale charcuterie board with the creamy sweetbreads mildly gamey and the thin terrine of tongue entirely so. Served on a plate that looked like weaved glass and paired with pickled mushrooms and smooth yet spicy horseradish it was not my favorite sweetbread plate of all time, but it was well composed and soundly executed.

With duck always a must order when available my next course would feature Roasted Lola Duck with sweet onion puree, Radishes, and Spring Ramps. Plated simply with duck and jus at one side and smooth puree, bitter radish, and melting ramps at each other this was a no tricks/no gimmicks sort of dish and with the duck clearly aged, approximately 12-14 days in house according to O’Neill, it was exemplary with golden skin crackling to give way to supple rosy flesh – a contender for top five duck dishes I’ve ever enjoyed.

Pronounced as my final savory, course nine of the evening arrived sizzling from roaster after a quick sear on the grill. Titled Herb crusted tenderloin of lamb, green asparagus, and potato with butter truffle emulsion this aromatic presentation was perhaps four ounces of supple loin crusted with an amalgam of spices including but not limited to chives, cumin, and sage paired with a smear of curry, two unique purees both imbued with butter and truffle, plus a small pile of wilted Swiss chard.

With my cheese course announced to arrive next I was a bit surprised (and so was Shah) when a palate cleanser arrived in its stead – an apparent “mix up” from the pastry team, but when the biggest mistake of the evening entails an extra dessert how can I complain? Described as Mixed summer berries, strawberry sorbet, apricot gelee, yogurt foam, and fruit leather “party favor” the young female pastry chef who delivered this suggested I break the leather over the bowl and on doing so the parfait was completed with a topping of house made granola. Tart and tangy but smooth and light this was one of the better palate cleansers I’ve had in recent memory and a glimpse ahead to the welcomed whimsy displayed by the pastry half of the kitchen.

Moving on to the previously promised cheese course (and joking with the pastry team that I’d “obviously need another palate cleanser after the cheeses”) it was plain to see that L’Espalier takes their cheeses seriously as the selection of seven was delivered with a detailed listing of thirty available in house for purchase. Amongst my “Selection Grand Fromage” the options chosen for me by the house included Menage from Carr Valley Cheese, Coupole from Vermont butter and Cheese Creamery, Caccio di bosco from Tuscany, Hoch Ybrig from Zurich, Robiola la Rustica, Epoisse de Bourgogne from Burgundy, and Caveman blue from Rogue Creamery Oregon. A great selection of cheeses ranging from the nutty three-animal blend of Menage to the sharp white truffle tinged flavor of Caccio di Bosco all the way to a stunning briny Epoisse the plate was made all the better by an accoutrement tray of apricots, candied walnuts, pine nut honey, raisin walnut bread and whole wheat slices.

With the savory half of the kitchen now beginning their clean-up for the evening Jiho Kim would arrive with my next course and an unnecessary apology for the “mix-up” with the first palate cleanser declaring the next dish a “palate re-cleanser” of Liquid nitrogen panna cotta with raspberry jus, mango sorbet, and coconut powder. Again with a focus on tart meets tangy but smoothing things our with the slightly savory coconut powder I enjoyed this dishes textural variation a great deal even though at first the nitrogen frozen panna cotta was so cold it actually adhered to my tongue and cheeks before starting to melt.

Beginning the proper desserts I will admit that I’d contacted the restaurant in advance and told them I didn’t want to miss out on two of Joho’s current main menu options (not generally part of the Kitchen Table experience) and graciously they agreed to do both – the first amongst the ten best desserts I’ve ever eaten. Titled “Chocolate banana macadamia bread pudding, crème anglaise; milk chocolate sorbet” and served with with Buddha’s Hand Gelee and milk foam this tall cylinder was presented tableside first and then, with the young female pastry chef running to grab a “bigger knife for more drama,” Shah chopped through the outer edge releasing a stream of crème anglaise laden with hot banana pudding, sweet smooth chocolate, foams, and hard malted milk balls. Texturally complicated and entirely delicious I’d recommend anyone visiting L’Espalier to request this dish in advance.

For my final proper course of the meal, number fourteen, a trio of desserts were offered up on a single composed dish titled “Milk chocolate caramel soufflé, caramel financier, grapefruit gel; Gianduja ice cream” and while the soufflé was light, tasty, and beautifully accented by the salty caramel sauce and the Ice cream was like frozen whipped nutella, the part I couldn’t stop thinking about for the rest of my trip to Boston was that Financier – a delicate little crumb cake that tasted as though the pastry team had figured out how to make bread with nothing but sticky caramel.

With the my plates cleared the mignardises would begin first with a show from Shah in the form of liquid nitrogen quenelles of Orange and lychee Ice creams made tableside. With each tart and tangy dollop causing me to billow a puff of smoke through my nose I will admit that even as it becomes more and more common to use liquid nitrogen tableside I still think it is fun and if you can make it tasty and interactive, why not?

For the final bites at my table a plate of mignardises would arrive featuring a yuzu marshmallow, almond coconut cookie, guava pate de fruit, and coffee and Prosecco chocolates – all good, but none the quality of that financier.

After a chat with the pastry chefs, Shah, and Chef O’Neill about the high points and low points of the meal and a quick tour of the rest of the restaurant (I’d spent nearly three hours there and had never even seen the dining room) which was now empty save for two tables lingering over coffee and dessert I settled the bill and collected a copy of the menu as well as my belongings before making my way back to the elevator in the lobby. Greeted once again by the maitre d’ I was thanked for my patronage and offered a 20% off card for any future lunches at L’Espalier along with a buttery coconut macaron I’d enjoy on the cab ride home.

Having now rambled on at length about the experience I can say without a doubt the food was good and sometimes beyond reproach – particularly the bread pudding, the duck, and the foie gras; all three of which rank amongst my top five ‘must order’ menu items anywhere – and while perhaps not as innovative or “wowing” as places like The French Laundry, Alinea, or Per Se at a comparable price point, the ability to literally sit in the kitchen and interact with the chefs at such a level is something I don’t really feel you can put a price tag on. Was the Chef’s Table at L’Espalier the most amazing of my life? No. Was the meal even the best food in Boston? Close, but not quite. Was it memorable and worth every penny? You bet – and I’d do it again.