L'Escale

L'Escale Restaurant Review:

For a meal at least, this Provençal restaurant, located in Greenwich's waterfront Delamar hotel, transports you to the shores of Southern France. L'Escale is ensconced in a setting that actually originated across the ocean. The floors are covered with two-century-old stone terra cotta tiles imported from Provence, and a wood-burning fireplace came from a castle in the south of France. Restaurateurs Rick Wahlstedt and Jean Denoyer, creators of Manhattan's Le Colonial, knew what they were doing in putting together L'Escale, which means "stopover." Bright red chairs adorn the terrace, and the dining room is bathed in white. Begin with the hand-cut Prime beef tartare with kettle chips and truffle rémoulade or the grilled local-caught calamari with eggplant caviar and preserved lemon. Continue with the Alaskan black cod with griddled cauliflower and creamed carrot-spinach in a ginger glaze or the chicken paillard with heirloom tomato, cucumber, arugula and red onion. When you order dinner, make sure to request the black and white chocolate soufflé for dessert. Otherwise, select the delicate warm pear almond cake spiked with port wine sauce and served with honey ice cream. A fine French wine list with several vintage Champagnes will no doubt enhance the experience. While it's certainly not typical French cuisine, and you're paying dearly for the meal, it's a lot cheaper than a plane ticket to Nice. For more casual fare with the same romantic atmosphere, select a few choices from the lounge menu featuring cocktails with classic movie appellations, plates such as a burger and fries, and wines and Champagnes by the glass. That said, for a real splurge, stay over at the Delamar for a romantic evening.