We've been here twice now, and loved it both times. Food is excellent, homemade and very comforting. Service is great and atmosphere is cozy, but quite relaxed. Menu changes throughout the seasons. read more

Tight seating for a European feel. Sea Bass was excellent, but the asparagus side was mostly stems. Martini glasses are minuscule. Had to have the check revised twice as corrections were necessary. read more

The main reason for the 4-star rating was purely the ambiance. The outdoor seating and overall atmosphere were phenomenal, I would go back just for that. Moving on to the food: at traditional restaurants, dishes are often brought out at different times, and being a high-end spot, this place followed suit. However, the waiter should've picked up on some context clues--it was 8:45, we had been seated since 8:00, and we still only had the salad. I ordered the steak frites (not sure of its exact name on the menu), and it was great, I'd definitely recommend it. That said, the medium rare came out looking a bit overcooked, though every kitchen does it differently. The frites are typically thin and crispy, but these were thick and a little soggy. The other dishes at the table were solid, nothing to complain about. One thing that did stand out, though, was the bathroom, it clearly needed attention. It looked like it hadn't been cleaned, which is not something I'd expect from a restaurant of this caliber. read more

La Voile - steak frites , Lunch/Dinner French Onion Soup - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Fine experience here. Took my wife, 15 y.o. And 19 y.o. Here on a Sunday night for dinner. Cozy downstairs French place in Boston downtown. Our servers were attentive and patient. Food was carefully prepared and delicious. We had escargot and fois gras to start while our entrees were steak frites, sea bass, flounder and duck. I really liked my flounder...pan fried, and came with nicely done fingerling potatoes and spinach. A great creme brulee and chocolate mousse in the end. read more

La Voile - Lunch/Dinner - Les Escargots Bourguinons - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Three of us went to celebrate a dinner together. Initially sat at a decent size table, we were quickly told to stand and move to a table half the size that would barely accommodate a party of two, which was probably to fit in another larger party at the table they were asking us to vacate. The huge crowd of people gathering and getting fed likely compromised the quality of the work done in the kitchen. My dish of braised veal shoulder "La Blanquette" was so dry and hard that I had to return it. The Dover sole was dry and flavorless. The staff was very attentive, however, and I give high grades for their attitude and service. But a restaurant, ultimately, is about the quality of the food and La Voile has sailed far away from that fundamental requirement. read more

I came for the French onion soup and ended up also getting the ribeye steak. First of all, this place is really small and they are packed for dinner service. Prices are reasonable considering the neighborhood and clientele. Food however was disappointing. The French onion soup was mediocre except for the cheese. Not sure exactly what type of cheese it was but it sure was broiled to protection.... melty, full of flavor and caramelized to a chripst without burning. The 10oz Ribeye for $38 was too good of a deal not to try. I ordered it rare but it came out slightly under cooked. The center was still cold, no rendered fat and no crust. Flavor was also lacking in all aspects. The meat wasn't beefy, no char taste on the crust and the herb butter didn't taste like herbs nor butter. It was worth a try but sadly I probably won't come back. read more

La Voile - Ribeye - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We had an enjoyable experience here last night during Dine Out Boston. The venue itself is tucked on the lower level of a building on Newbury Street and is quite intimate, without feeling crowded. We had a table toward the back of the room, which felt quite private. The artwork is largely natutical themed, with traditional French elements mixed in. Service was fantastic. Our server was very attentive without being overbearing--the perfect balance. They have a nice wine menu subdivided by region, and I had a glass of 2015 Merlot which paired quite nicely with my entree. My partner and I both had the corn soup with microgreens, which was nice and refreshing. I don't often have corn-based soup, but this worked well. My beef bourguignon, which is a dish that I use to stack French restaurants against each other, was good albeit the smaller piece was pretty fatty, and the larger one was just a touch dry. My partner's duck was delicious, especially the jus, and I would definitely order that on my next visit. We shared the vanilla millefeuille (quite a large portion and fairly decadent--the cream was really nice) and opera cake (a bit on the sweeter side, with a few strawberry slices as an accompaniment). These were nice desserts to complete the meal. One thing I will say is they will not let your bread basket go empty! As soon as our basket was nearly full, our server would appear with another basket and some butter--I had to stop after the second time (ha) so that I didn't overfill myself. I would be happy to return to La Voile again! read more

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Excellent French spot for a cute little place! The vibe is chill and friendly. Service is great! read more

La Voile - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Five stars for La Voile. My one and I went here on a whim while strolling down Newbury Street. My goal was to find a nice place to eat that has good food and some class too. I waited for my one to arrive and had made a rez in person after peeping it out first by popping my bean in and casing the place a bit. It had a cool vibe and looked upscale enough for me. I went to the bar area which is xtremely teenie and grabbed a seat. They had a small cocktail selection of "signature" cocktails. I had three Margarita-type cocktails. They were delish but VERY teenie and pricey. This is Newbury Street... My one showed up and we were seated. The space is attractive and groovy and somewhat casual and packed in tight. Not elegant but nice and well decorated and fun. The Escargot was wicked pissah and it was a steal at like 14 bucks or so. Even apps at joints like Applebee's and the like are more bucks than this and they are certainly not on par with Escargot. (The snail thing takes a back seat to the snail butter. Escargot is really just a catalyst for the bread dipping in the snail butter. For all peeps and nonFrenchies out there the snails are akin to mushrooms with a bit of rubbery chew.) Our food was very good, not epic, but very good. The Floating Islands dessert was however the coup de gras being out of this world and left us tickled pink and on Cloud 9. To restate: It is crowded and almost "airplane like" in its cramped-ness but the clientele is uppity, polite and respectable enough to make this "OK." Big recommend for this joint. It is fun to make believe you are wicked tony by treating yourself to this upscale vibe of Newbury Street. "Yes, I say, Smedley..." read more

La Voile - Yes, I say, Smedley, this is quite nice. - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Christmas Eve dinner. Booked a high top because that was all that was available. Table was tight and poorly lit but OK. Service was very good. Smoked salmon/puff pastry app was delicious. She had the moules and frites. Mussels were very tender but the broth was little plain. I had the duck which wasn't tender but ok. Wine list is strong. Apple tart for dessert was just ok. read more

Fantastic meal out on the patio. Many other guests were speaking French along with the wait staff- felt like an afternoon in Paris. Enjoyed champagne, onion gratinee soup, fantastic bread, Croque Monsier and chocolate mousse. I appreciate that the soup wasn't Americanized into a salty broth- it was fantastic. The meal was fine well- not rushed. Efficient and friendly servers. read more

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A very nice valentine dinner at La Voile. From the moment you walk in and are greeted, to the care taken in designing the restaurant for Valentines to the instant photo shoot of each couple to keep, to the usual yummy food and pretty valentine menu and a rose and macaron and candle to go. Complimentary cocktail at the end & they recognized that I can only drink mocktails. That's service ! read more

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How nice to find a French restaurant on Newbury St open for lunch. Extra excited to see the 3 course lunch menu. The service was legendary. I wanted to dine outside because it was a beautiful summer day and I could enjoy the flowers and greenery but after my first course the sun was too hot. "Can I switch to indoors?" "Of course madam" Ah, air conditioning, sparkling Rose, quietude and du pain. For my second course I chose P.E.l. mussels in Marinière sauce. The bowl was so full of mussels that I used one of the two extra bowl to pour in some of the flavorful sauce so I could dip each mussel. The portions of the first two courses were more than I could eat. My server asked how long until I could refrigerate the mussels, I said 60 minutes and he generously put the remainder in a takeout container and gave me another container of ice for the ride home. That is the legendary service. read more

La Voile - La Voile, "the sail" in French. - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The food here was absolutely incredible. i got the risotto, french onion soup and entrecote. They were all very tasty and well made. the atmosphere is very french / and europe so it felt good to be in that vibe. great friendly service too. Only complaint i would havess it was too hot in there, we were sweating! read more

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We went to La Voile for Valentine's Day and were so pleased! The ambiance was great, with rose petals lining the steps, pink hearts on the mirrors, and fairy light balloons in the dining room. They even took a photo of us when we sat and gave us the Polaroid as a keepsake! The food was fantastic, the standouts being the fennel and tarragon velouté - which was creamy and savory, the pan seared scallops - one of the best dishes I have ever had, so unique and delicious, and the opera cake for dessert. My boyfriend also got the foie gras and rack of lamb, although he wasn't the biggest fan of either. It should be noted that this was their Valentine's Day menu, so these items may not be typically available, but I hope that some of the dishes do make it onto the regular menu, because I would love to relive them again! read more

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Christmas Eve at La Voile was amazing. From the service, to the food, to the ambience it was top notch. The Onion Soup was perfection with great flavor and the perfect amount of cheese. For the main course it was the Le Filet de Boeuf - Beef Tenderloin with a peppercorn sauce. The beef was not only flavorful but melted in your mouth. With dinner and a glass of wine, we passed on desert as we were full. And our waiter was amazing. Friendly, funny, and the perfect service read more

La Voile - Onion Soup - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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We came here as Krasi was booked and this place had a reservation available last minute. Unfortunately food was mediocre. I thought the Les pates was bland. And I had much better duck at deuxave. My husband had the veal and that was delicious. Our server was also the bartender. She was nice and attentive. read more

Having recently had dinner here I thought it time to update my lunch review from over 10 years ago. We had dinner with another couple and another friend so there were 5 of us in total. As we were going to an art opening later we had dinner early. Despite the early dinner hour, the place was full not long after we were seated. Reservations are a must. Our waitperson was lovely and greeted us with menus and water as soon as we were seated. One of our party with everyone's approval chose the wine for the table. I don't remember what it was but it was a delicious and crisp, dry white. We started with orders of escargot and spicy mussels in a traditional Marinière sauce...both delicious! For my main I ordered seared cod over quinoa which also had a pistou sauce (kind of a French version of pesto). It was quite delicious and beautifully plated. Two others ordered the whole sea bass which was deboned at the table...a lovely dish. Another person ordered the roasted duck with spring vegetables and sauce l'orange. My husband ordered the pan-seared ribeye with salad and frites. We all seemed to enjoy our food although later once we were home my husband confessed that he had not been happy with his dish. He found the ribeye was gristly and the frites came out cold. Not wanting to make a fuss as we were a group of 5, he didn't say anything to the waiter but he really should have! At the very least he should have asked for new frites that were freshly made and hot. Alas! For dessert three of us shared the French meringue floating in creme anglaise with almonds and caramel. The two others did not want dessert. The meringue was light, tasty and not too sweet. That said, I am not sure it was the dessert for me. A couple of tastes was plenty. My husband would have rated his food a two he told me. He had never been to this restaurant before and unfortunately he was not impressed. I have been here for lunch have been good experiences. This was my first time for dinner and it matched my expectations. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their food selections. The restaurant is small and for some it might feel a bit tight particularly those sitting at the tables for two. We had a fairly nice sized table in a corner and mostly out of the way although my husband who is a tall guy at 6'3" felt a bit cramped. He's a man who likes his elbow room and La Voile is tight on space. The interior design as I mentioned in my earlier review remains lovely and beautifully appointed. There are incredible black and white yacht and sailing photos on the wall from the 1970s. (Recall the La Voile means The Sail in French.) The zinc bar is a particular treasure. The service was attentive. Many of the staff do speak French although ours did not...one of our group is a French speaker and had started conversing in that language to no avail. I would return and probably will at some point for lunch as I am often in the area during the daytime. My husband has made it clear this wasn't the place for him other than the company we were with. Perhaps the restaurant should look into the sourcing of their ribeye steaks and work a little harder to ensure that frites are cooked to order and come hot piping hot. Overall in addition to his subpar meal, I think the place also felt a little too small and fussy for my husband. Prices are in keeping with the Newbury St. location and the times we are living in, which is to say thing are on the expensive side. read more

On a business trip we stepped by for a dinner break. It has a real European feeling, with crowded space and wall full of interesting prints. Service was a little slow, but both waiter and sommelier were very knowledgeable. Food and wine were great. Duck was juicy and so tasty. Wine had a nice body, and great flavor: easy to drink and very enjoyable. Definitely a place to stop by. read more

Where to begin? The service couldn't have been better. We sat outside and enjoyed the atmosphere of Newbury ST while sipping a bottle of wine. Le Loup de Mer .... Absolutely out of this world. Somehow, I saved room for La Crème brûlée. We will be back! read more

La Voile - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

To start I'm not a fan of French food or wine, but found myself as part of THE BASE group that selected it as meeting there. Good news, I could order off the planned French pre designed menu which did not look good at all. I ordered French soup, now that is an item I love. It was a solid 3.0 , that's good for me, as comparison , I think Capital Grill is a 4.5. nevertheless it's worth it. Next was the Lamb another favorite of mine normally just chops but this was Lamb Ratatouille. The lamb chunks , (about 4) were tender in some sauce ( 2.5) but the vegetables not so impressive so overall a 2.0 . They were very professional took it off the bill. I think if I ever went back the Sea bass would have been better choice. Creme Brulee was good 3.9 The wine, I got the dryest cab they had, about 2.5 Table service excellent, friendly. The Resturant is rather loud for conversation, but not a reason to avoid the establishment. Overall my score is a 2.9-3.0 not bad for a non French fan. read more

My husband and I went there for our anniversary. This is a good place to have a dinner. You can sit outside or inside. We were seated inside. The food tasted great. As a starter we ordered a "Foie Gras" On the menu you can choose from two options they have or order both of them. We ordered both. Both "Foie Gras" tasted great. As my main dish, I ordered "La Volaille" roasted chicken and my husband ordered "L'Entrecote" ribeye. Our waiter told us that my chicken cooking time is 45 minutes, I was aware of that because it was written on the menu as well. I confirmed my order. The chicken was amazing, it was soft and yummy. I recommend trying it. For dessert we ordered "Le Brouillard" and they brought us a candle. It was so sweet. It was delicious. read more

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Am I glad I came here for thanksgiving!!!! I've always walked by la voile hoping to one day diner here. Tonight I had the sole meunière and it was phenomenal! I thought it would leave that fishy aftertaste I don't like but it didn't! The service was impeccable as well and I love the underground vibe of this place. Highly recommend! read more

This place is so wonderful! While out shopping, my son and I decided to give this place a try. What a LOVELY dining experience we had. We did not have a reservation and were greeted in the most welcoming way. Our server, Valentina, couldn't have been lovelier. I ordered the Sole Meuniere and my son ordered the Duck. We also ordered the Escargot and tomato salad. We would have ordered dessert, but my son got paged and we needed to quickly leave...next time for sure. The cheery vibe from all of the staff made it seem like they enjoyed being at work. Our food was wonderful, the service was great, and we cannot wait to go back. Thank you, La Voile and Valentina, for a great lunch and date with my son. read more

Oh my goodness! Indeed!!! La Voile is an amazement. I would fly from the West Coast to the East just for this restaurant! On my short trip to Boston, I ate there once for a late lunch, then came back the very next night for more. Fabulous. Just fabulous! We had beautiful drinks: Senor Napoleon and La Normandie plus a lovely Sancerre. The food was divine. Les Pâtés was a divine duo of chicken liver mousse and duck rillettes with a little salad. Le Saumon Fumé was a lovely smoked salmon with egg and caviar--the dressing for it was a thing of beauty! We loved the La Blanquette (is "the" redundant? Dunno...) Veal in a cream sauce with a little veg, mushrooms and rice. Beautiful. What really blew my mind was what they sparingly term "De Poisson." And sparing it is! A tiny ladle of broth. I stared blinkingly into my bowl. ("Oh well," I thought.) Ooooooooo, I was so wrong to be so biased by sight. The taste is the thing. It is a fish broth soup with a spare tomato base, and if you like fish, it is beyond belief in my thinking (or taste buds). I can't really describe it beyond that, but I am trying (unsuccessfully) to make it in my kitchen right now. The staff were just the BEST!!! Our team for our two encounters included the totally wonderful combo of Michel, Denis and Alek, and they were delightful and grand. So friendly. Smiles all the while and genuine. Helpful, informative, gracious, more. I cannot thank them enough for two such wonderful times. Love them. read more

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We stopped in for an early (5:30 PM) dinner because we had to catch a flight and overall it's a place that I'd want to visit again. We had the beet salad, seared duck, and sole meunière which were all cooked perfectly. My duck was a tad bit gristly but I'm being nit picky. Topped everything off with their "La Brouillard" (an affogato) which was the perfect way to end the meal. They have an extensive wine list and full bar. The next time I come back it will definitely be a more relaxed visit and I'll want to explore the menu more. Besides the classic French Onion soup, I'd want to have the escargot and the foie gras. They also have a $69 prix fixe menu which would be a contender for next time. Oh Boston, so much food, so little time... The service was very good also. We were greeted and all interactions with staff were positive. Our waiter was cheery and checked in on us at the appropriate times and was always there when we needed him. read more

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Big portions! Risotto is epic! The duck breast is also really good. Other things are okay (duck sandwich, ribeye, onion soup, snail) read more

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First off, the people and service were very good! This review is only for the food.. We were very excited to eat here, there were 6 of us.. We ordered the mussels, foie gras, escargot, duck breast, monkfish and ribeye steak.. Never in my life have I ever had duck breast so dry and bland!! The plate came with mashed potatoes that tasted like glue! It was so hard to eat.. Ribeye was chewy like rubber.. mussels were blah, escargot was nothing exciting and foie gras was such a disappointment... cute place, reminds me of the old school Paris but the food was a big disappointment.. the chefs need to do better... read more

Service is expectational. Start dinner with La Charcuterie is addictive since they keep on giving fresh bread if you run out toast for charcuterie. My filet is perfection but the rib was great but not mesmerizing. The duck was the best for my husband last time we were there. Decor is charming and intimate. Thank you for wonderful time! read more

La Voile - Dinner Le Filet de Boeuf is perfectly cooked. I wish I had more sauce. - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

There's a lot of good things to say about this place but I've always been a bad news first kinda guy. First things first, it's cramped. It was so cramped that we could even get into our seat without the waiter pulling out our table first before seating us. Second, the food was good but nothing left an impression. It was definitely a very so-so dining experience. The service however, was excellent. The server was attentive and nice. The prices were also fair and affordable for a casual night out. read more

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I don't know a lot about French cuisine, but I was impressed with this place. Indoor and outdoor seating available on nice weather days. Great service. I visited during Dine In Boston, so worked off the set menu. I very much enjoyed the Chicken liver spread as an appetizer. I could have spread it on the fresh baguette they served at each table or the small toasted bread it came with. Both were great. I had the trout and rice and I was impressed how moist the filet was. I hate dry fish! The dinner came with desert so I ordered the Floating Island: a meringue that was quite tasty. Again, I leave it to the French food experts to comment, but if my in laws from Canada, or my friends from France come to visit, I'll take them here to check it out. read more

The overall experience was ok. First off the service was fantastic! Our waiter was nice and attentive, always making sure we had plenty to drink and bread to enjoy. The food itself though, was good but not great. The mussels were cooked nicely in a savory & light mariniere sauce. But the Le Cassoulet didn't have much pork belly and was too salty. Main downside is the restaurant is so cramped that the waiter had to literally pull the table out just so I was able to access the cubby. There was very little room between tables. Would give them 5 stars for service since our waiter was so nice, but the food & atmosphere were alright. read more

La Voile - Les moules - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I dropped by this place for lunch two months ago. It was a rainy day but I was still able to grab a seat in their covered outdoor patio. Their complementary French baguette was piping hot from the oven. It was crusty on the outside and soft inside. The butter was also very good. I got the sun dried tomato and spinach quiche as an appetizer which came with a large portion of mixed greens. The quiche was flaky and delicious! One of the best quiches I've had in a while. For main entree, I got the le filet de boeuf. It was a pan seared beef tenderloin with a truffle sauce accompanied by mixed greens and french fries. The tenderloin was very tasty but I thought the fries were a tad salty. Already full, I still had to try their desserts. I tried their Le Millefeuilles, which was a multi-layered puff pastry filled with vanilla cream accompanied by caramel sauce and berries. The pastry was a bit disappointing. I would expect it to be more flaky and moist. Service was great and friendly. Overall, it was a great meal and I definitely will be back for more French food. read more

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Came here for a pre-Symphony Hall dinner with my (older) family. Great service - very friendly staff and they were right on top of things. The food was pretty good - I had the French onion soup and then the risotto. The soup was DELICIOUS - one of the best onion soups I've had and I've had a lot. The risotto was good but had a lot of veggies in it that were crunchy enough that it took away from how good the risotto was. For dessert, I got La Gourmande which was one teeny tiny chocolate mousse (amazing), one Madeleine (eh), and one tiny crème brûlée (superb). Overall everyone enjoyed their meal and we got to the show on time. Note: After watching the waitstaff debone the fish, I left wishing I had tried the Dover Sole. Those guys had some skills! Next time! read more

My friends and I came here on a Saturday night, unfortunately feeling quite ill, but really wanted to try dinner so made it out anyway. We didn't get any drinks but did get the duck liver as it seemed to be the most popular dish on Yelp. We all loved the traditional version, couldn't get behind the pan seared version. If you don't love odd textures I would stick to the original. We got cucumber soup and french onion soup. The cucumber soup was okay, I mainly ordered it for the refreshing aspect to help with my stomach. If you are going to order a soup, go for the French onion soup. For entrees we got the duck which was pretty good, the mussels which does come with a lot of them, and the lobster and scallops which was an incredible dish. And a side of truffle mashed potatoes which were also very very good. By the time we finished these we were starting to feel better and didn't want to push our luck with dessert. Overall the food was great, the staff was nice, the place was decorated nicely and gave the vibe of an anniversary dinner which was nice. I'm excited to come back when I'm feeling better to be able to try more! read more

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French bistro . Everything was delicious. We had the foie, mussels and duck. The waiters are attentive and friendly. read more

La Voile - Dinner Le Magret. - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

When my friends suggested French food I was a bit skeptical because I wasn't that sold when I went to France and had the food there. But let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised. Everything we had in the table was delicious. My friends also enjoyed everything. The staff was friendly and responsive. It has a very intimate feel to it and that paired well with the food. Would definitely go back. And would recommend it. Check out all the pics for inspo. read more

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Place is unbelievable. Service is outstanding!!! Homard is best server !! Did good job !! Fish is outstanding!!! Complements to the kitchen. read more

La Voile - Wow. Fish is unbelievable !! Service is outstanding. Homard is best server ever !! Love this place !!! - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Had a lovely lunch with my girls at this quaint spot. We sat outside. Staff was nice and polite. Drinks were good as well. Food was all very good would recommend it for a nice lunch or dinner read more

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We were blown away by everything in this restaurant. Our waitress was bubbling with enthusiasm, you could tell she just love to be there as did everybody in this restaurant everybody loved what they were doing and it was a pleasure for them to not only be there but to do what they were doing and to be able to serve people very best French food. The decor was delightfully cozy with a nautical theme. The only complaint I would have is that where I sat was right behind the major Z's station and when the air conditioning came on (or was it the wine cellar doors opened?) It blew cold air behind my back. We had the escargot and the smoked salmon both were absolutely divine, the bread baskets were filled before we even knew they were empty same with our water glasses. The sommelier came by to check on us and before he even left the table he noticed there was a ever so slight imbalance in the table reach down and fix the table himself. This left such a huge impression on us! No one in the restaurant was too big or too small for any task and they did it with such pleasure! It added all the more to our experience and our pleasure with it! I ordered the Dover sole which was absolutely fantastic. The man who brought it over showed it to me and said "may I debone it for you?" Of course I agreed and he did it so artfully and so skillfully he took out the spine of the fish in one piece! Sadly we did not get many pictures because we were so enjoying the experience The phones didn't come out. The Sommelier remarked on the court when we got the special bottle that they were wondering how it would hold up and it held up beautifully and the wine was absolutely lovely. At the end we were too stuffed for dessert and they brought us out Cognac as a dessert / pallet cleanser and we have to say we were extremely impressed! The food was absolute top level. The service was beyond exceptional, we had things refilled before we even knew they were getting close to empty. Everyone was courteous and obviously happy to be there. The bathrooms were even cute and well-appointed. Do yourself a favor and book a dinner here and you will not regret it! read more

La Voile - Chateau Neuf de Pape Vieux Telegraphè 2005 - French Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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