L’Espalier Is Now a Weekend Brunch Option

Chef and restauranteur Frank McClelland is keeping busy this year.

L'Espalier

L’Espalier. / Photo provided

L’Espalier has been an indulgent option since leading the way on farm-to-table fine dining in Boston when it opened in 1978, but it’s never offered brunch. That changed last month, with the introduction of a weekly three-course prix-fixe from chef-owner (and farmer) Frank McClelland, chef de cuisine Matthew DeLisle, and their team.

McClelland has had a busy spring: The Essex resident is working on a North Shore venture called Riversbend. It’s on track to open in June, per a rep. McClelland sold his own farm, but Riversbend will showcase his long-standing relationships with local agricultural community.

L’Espalier brunch is available each Saturday and Sunday. The menu will constantly change, with few choices per course every day.

Here’s a sample bill of fare:

L’Espalier Brunch

Amuse Bouche
Cucumber tea sandwich

First
American caviar omelet, crème fraiche and spring herb salad, and brioche

Roasted George’s Bank scallops with asparagus risotto and grilled white asparagus

Lobster bisque with a petite quiche Lorraine and comte

Roasted Hudson Valley foie gras with Darjeerling-orange scented French toast and rhubarb compote

House-smoked salmon with pickled vegetables, crème fraiche, and American caviar

Main
Grilled beef sirloin Croque madame with Virginia ham, farmhouse gruyere, and a coddled farm egg

Columbia River salmon with California asparagus juice, Maine crab, and ramps

Eggs Benedict Florentine with poached eggs and Scituate lobster

Charred lamb tenderloin with house-made Za’atar garlic-herb sausage, oven-baked crêpe, and cracked wheat

Roasted Long Island duck breast with biscuit, Vermont maple butter, and spring dug parsnips

Dessert
Warm honey caramel sticky bun with salted butter ice cream

House-made yogurt parfait with rhubarb sorbet and fresh pineapple

L’Espalier brunch, Saturday + Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 774 Boylston St., Boston, 617-262-3032, lespalier.com.

UPDATE, May 4: A previous version of this post indicated McClelland was also bringing Fat Hen to La Brasa this year. McClelland is no longer involved in Somerville spot he opened with chef Daniel Bojorquez, an alumni of McClelland’s Sel de la Terre and L’Espalier, a rep says. Fat Hen is a new, Italian concept by chef Michael Bergin, also a L’Espalier alum. There’s no updated timeline for its opening, per the rep.