Menton, Photo Credit: Menton
There’s something intriguing about what goes on in a professional kitchen, especially one in an esteemed restaurant. Diners love to sneak a peek behind the culinary curtain, so to speak, to see where all the delicious magic happens.
These three high-end spots in Boston allow you to watch, learn and, best of all, taste a memorable meal at special chef’s tables.
Menton
You’ll never get a bad meal from superstar chef Barbara Lynch, who has her own restaurant empire in Boston, but at this Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star institution, dining is an art form. The Fort Point restaurant, the crown jewel of her seven venues, offers a chef’s table experience for up to 12 people in a private dining room.
A wide glass window provides a premium vantage point for you to observe the inner workings of a kitchen in the heat of dinner service.
Two tasting menus are offered for this meal, one called “From Elements,” which is a six-course journey that explores dishes and pairings that the chef has perfected. Recent favorites have included butter soup, saffron tagliatelle and Wagyu beef.
The other, an eight-course sampling called “Into Evolution,” is a more open-ended exploration of Lynch’s latest inspirations.
L’Espalier, Photo Credit: L’Espalier
L’Espalier
Four-Star L’Espalier in Back Bay hosts one of the most exclusive dining experiences in town. Its chef’s table places you in the literal center of the action. Only one reservation is available each night (parties of one to four people), so the dinner is intimate and quite lavish.
Chef Frank McClelland and crew will tailor the menu to your preferences or even create an individual menu. Throughout the night, interact with the captain, the sommeliers, the fromagier and the kitchen team.
McClelland often brings in special ingredients and saves the choicest options for the chef’s table. While no menu is ever the same, you get the best of the restaurant’s specialties, including luxuries like caviar and truffles.
Bar Boulud Boston, Photo Credit: Bar Boulud Boston
Bar Boulud Boston
Master chef Daniel Boulud’s Boston installment of Bar Boulud is a French-inspired bistro and wine bar located in Five-Star Mandarin Oriental, Boston. A special interactive culinary adventure is available for up to eight guests.
The lucky few will have the run of a secluded room with an up-close look into the kitchen, courtesy of a glass wall. Throughout the seven-course meal, the chef de cuisine discusses the inspiration behind the creations and the ingredients in every dish.
The custom seasonal menu always includes an amuse-bouche and a sweet take-home treat. For an added element, sommelier-selected wine pairings are also available if you want to sip from offerings in the impressive wine cellar.
Begin or finish the evening with bubbles in the hotel’s Lobby Lounge, which features Champagne Taittinger products available by the glass and the bottle, including the rich yet subtle Brut La Française and the elegantly intense Prestige Rosé.
