Troquet Restaurant Boston Perfects Pairings
Balance of Food and Wine Deliver Fun and Elegant Dining Experience
Oct 23, 2009
Don’t let Trouquet's odd first floor layout dissuade you from coming in. The miniscule bar and long skinny desserterie on the first floor are admittedly, not the most inviting of spaces. Take one flight of stairs (or an elevator if you choose) and you will be rewarded for the risk.
Balanced above the Boston Common, a Perfect Balance of Fun and Elegance
Arriving on the main floor you are greeted by a bustling open kitchen and calm, friendly faces. The long dining room is warmed by polished wood floors and anchored by a view of the Boston Common, particularly beautiful at night. Dine as if floating just above the bustle of the city, scurrying Theater goers and Emerson students are not your concern.
Several visits, most recently a media dinner, reinforce that the knowledgeable and friendly service is a constant here. One is made to feel that your enjoyment is truly their goal. The staff manage to convey fun and professionalism both.
One of the best reasons to visit Troquet is the wine list. Troquet means a small cafe or bar in French, so perhaps this is not surprising. But a wine list alone is meaningless, even a large list only means someone has means to build it. Here it is fully realized as a component of your dining experience. Wines by the glass, are available in 2 oz or 4 oz pours. Even the most knowledgeable or jaded oenophile will be enticed to try an unexpected pairing, and will be delighted.Two oz pours begin at $3.25 and four oz glasses at $6.50.
Refined Food without Flash
Too often chefs become enamored of their own technique or tools. The food arrives at the table shouting like a toddler “Look at me!” Executive Chef Scott Hebert exhibits restraint that comes with confidence. Dish after dish was proof of the kitchen’s talent.
- Ruinart Rose was paired by Owner Chris Campbell with a ceviche of bay scallops topped with Spoonbill caviar.
- Reuscher-Haart Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett accompanied the New Zealand Langoustine wrapped in Brik dough (think phyllo) on mango salsa, topped with daikon sprouts. Though not a sweet Riesling, this was perhaps a bit too sweet for the acid of mango and peppery notes of the sprouts.
- 2008 Les Chanteaux Blanc Chenin Blanc “Chinon” from the Loire Valley began the next course. This wine obliterates misconceptions of Chenin Blanc as insipid. Paired with Branzino ($36) stuffed with Sicilian olives over spaghetti squash drizzled with pistou, this was an exceptional pairing.This wine had good body, a perfect balance of fruit and acid to stand up to olives and pistou, and a slight flintiness that hints at the Loire terroir, perfect for fish perfectly rendered.
- 1995 Chambertin Grand Cru Cuvée Héritiers Latour exemplifies excellent Burgundy. If the special Riedel glasses didn’t announce the wine, one pour and the nose did. Instantly transporting you to the moment you sipped your first stellar Burgundy. Slight umber tone, shows its age but this wine is complex and rich without being heavy. Full of finesse.This dish was the standout among a pretty fierce line-up. Wild Boar rigatoni, with porcini, parmesan foam and shaved white truffles. Quadruple umami bomb. The elements were in balance and the table fell silent. More than one diner swooned, none wanted it to end.
- The next course suffered only from having to follow the rigatoni. Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Hermitage La Chapelle 1989 from “the crown jewel” of Jaboulet’s vineyards. This wine presented in color and body, as much younger than the 1995 Chambertin. The deep ruby color, black fruit notes, and big mouthfeel indicate longevity though it is quite enjoyable now. Accompanying a slow roasted Vermont lamb ($39), with lamb bacon (the only lamb bacon in the city of Boston) Niçoise jus, fava beans and pearl barley. This pairing would be the highlight of a special occasion meal. The Syrah expressed and developed by the French is really an entirely different wine than Syrah you’d experience from anywhere else. This La Chapelle makes a compelling case for the elegance this grape is capable of delivering.
A beautiful cheese cart with at least nine offerings was offered before dessert. Talk about decadence. 1927 Alvear, Pedro Ximenez Sherry accompanied a wonderful selection Comté, Brillat-Savarin, Morbier were among the many cheeses available.
Le Patissier at Troquet
Desserts cannot be relegated to an afterthought. With the addition of Le Patissier to the Troquet team owner Chris Campbell and Partner Executive Chef Scott Hebert have teamed with Sarah Woodfine to deliver a stellar dining experience from beginning to very last bite. Each of six diners were offered a different dessert course, one inexplicably declined. A seasonal pumpkin soufflé somehow managed to be both comforting and delicate, showing a deft hand in the kitchen. Inniskillin Icewine was unctuous with pear and pineapple notes that complemented the desserts.
The last two courses paritcularly underscore the quality of the wine and food pairing that is always on the menu at Troquet. These dishes and the wines chosen for them, highlight great skill in the kitchen, and finesse with the pairings of really fine wines. You can rely on this level of expertise to enhance your evening out, even if you are having appetizers and tasting 2 oz pours. It is truly a unique dining experience in a city which has come into its own in terms of a mature restaurant culture.
Appetizers range from $14-28, some pastas available in half portions. Entrees range from $29-40. Dinner for two (2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts, 4 glasses of wine ~$180.00)
- Troquet
- 140 Boylston St.
- Boston, MA 02116
- 617-695-9463
- Tues.-Sat., 5-10:30 p.m
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