Friday afternoon emails arrived from both Sel de la Terre and
L'Espalier saying that they were open. The restaurants were scheduled
to open on the 15th.
This timing was perfect! We just came back from the beach and always like to schedule a special meal or a little adventure for the weekend when we return. Something that makes us happy to be back in the city.
This afternoon we walked over to Bolyston Street to try the new Sel de la Terre. We're big fans of the State Street location, and our initial reaction is that we are really going to like the new one.
We ate at the upstairs bar near the main dining room. There are two bars. The area inside the main door on the first floor is one large bar with hightop tables. Upstairs, adjacent to the dining room, is a second bar. I think this one will be our favorite.
There are also a set of high top tables for four adjacent to the open kitchen. Perhaps the perfect place for tasting menus or watching the action.
The food was excellent, and the service warm and friendly. Soft jazz filled the air at a level perfect for conversation and relaxation.
We tried:
- Native corn chowder with lavender, scallion and bacon bits
- Plancha grilled shrimp with local heirloom tomato, field greens and mint
- Grilled hanger steak with panko fried poached egg, frites and béarnaise
Here's a look at the corn chowder, served in a small preserving jar.
The shrimp were perfectly grilled– smoky and moist. They were served
heads on – a testimony to their freshness. The hanger steak with a big
pile of those famous rosemary frites was perfect.
We asked whether they were planning to have a Boulangerie like the one at State street where we could buy sandwiches, bread, cheese, and pastries. Those plans are underway, and they will be doing some of those things with the downstairs bar before lunch service each day beginning on Monday.
Sel de la Terre is a very welcome addition to the Back Bay neighborhood. We can't wait to try the new L'Espalier.
Details:
Sel de la Terre Boylston Street
774 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199
Other Opinions:
We'll update our other opinions section when the restaurant is open for awhile and a fair number of comments have been collected on sites like Chowhound.com and Yelp.
