7/25/10 La Voile, Back Bay: Didn't Float My Boat

[opinionatedchef]

Service was friendly and professional ; drinks well made, good wines by the glass, comfy room w/ good AC on a hot humid night. But the menu lacks oomph.It reads like frozen-in-time Chez Jean(before there was Chez Henri.) Lots of rich winter hearty dishes like lamb stew and lobster w/ bisque sauce. But where are the light sparkly summery french dishes? Scallops caesar, foie gras terrine, aforementioned lobster, Striped Bass w/ Mushroom sauce,all well prepared but unmemorable.Very boring dessert options. Used up some certificates; not likely to return. Much prefer the food at Aquitaine on Tremont St.

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La Voile
261 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116

Chez Henri
1 Shepard Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

[yumyum]

Ah Chez Jean. I remember it well. But yes, that kind of menu should be preserved in amber at this point. Thanks for the review.

[Bob Dobalina]

That does sound sort of boring and heavy, but then people have been going ga-ga for the poutine and Scotch eggs at Gallows, which sounds sort of the same to me in my book. I couldn't bear to eat at either place with those kinds of selections until there is snow on the ground.

[southie_chick]

Funny you mention the desert options! I just found out last week from the guy I sit beside in work that his Aunt used to be their pastry chef. She LOVED the job but had to leave due to the fact there was NO room in the kitchen for her to work - they were literally tripping over her! They tried to find room for her but there was no room to expand the kitchen so they're having the deserts made offsite. Hopefully, they'll get a bigger kitchen someday.