| Lumiere | |
Appetizers: $8-16
Entrees: $24-34
1293 Washington St. / West Newton / 617-244-9199 Review date: October 2002 |
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Lumiere is a culinary heaven where even the simplest ingredients sing. The restaurant is a husband and wife operation, Michael and Jill Leviton. I started my meal with the chef's signature dish of seared scallops with wild mushrooms, potato mousseline, truffle vinaigrette and foie gras butter. In spite of the complexity of this dish, all the ingredients came together to create a beautiful and harmonious whole. Jason had a mushroom and crab soup. The liquid was silky, but light. The freshness of the crab juxtaposed the earthiness of mushrooms. We could not leave even the smallest drop of this delicious creation in the bowl and mopped it all up with excellent French rolls. The main courses were equally as impressive. I had a sage roasted chicken breast with butternut squash, chanterelles, potatoes, bacon, and caramelized onions. The meat was very tender and juicy and the skin crisp and full of flavor. Together with all the root vegetables and mushrooms this was the perfect comfort food on a cold and rainy day. Jason's filet mignon with aged balsamic vinegar sauce could be cut with a fork and melted in the mouth. The balsamic vinegar added a touch of sweetness. We were not crazy about the fries that came with this dish, but the roasted garlic creamed spinach was excellent.
The wine list concentrated on American and French wines and had many wines available by the glass and in half bottle sizes. Our waitress was very knowledgeable about both the food and wine menus. We asked her for a recommendation of wines by the glass to match the dishes that we ordered and she made very good suggestions. The best match between the four dishes and four glasses of wine that we tried was the Sokol Blosser, "Evolution 9," Meritage from Oregon with the roasted chicken. The slight sweetness in the wine went really well with the butternut squash. We ended our meal with a well-executed classis crème brûlée. The only drawback of Lumiere is that the tables for two people are too close together. Tables for four people are booths and give much more privacy. In spite of this slight drawback, we will definitely be back. |