The Place:
In the midst of the wet snowy rainfall we trekked through the streets of Boston from Post Office Square to Downtown Crossing. Walking past the decorated streets of Christmas lights and the commotion of people hustling about doing last minute shopping, we made our way down a dimly lit alley way. To the left a brightly lit antique sign was seen glowing pink spelling Yvonne’s. Expertly hidden, we walked into the entryway of a small hair salon with the hostess stand located along a blank looking wall masking the door to the secret rooms behind. The illusion and charm of the speakeasy* was surely doing its part, and to our amazement as we walked through the simple bland looking door we were without a question transformed into a beautifully decorated french grande themed bar and restaurant. Mahogany bookshelves lined the walls in the front bar, where people were gathered around a decorated snow covered Christmas tree, sipping well crafted cocktails in comfy leather couches. On to the next room… what seemed to be a never ending walk we reached our table in another extravagantly decorated room filled with chandeliers, dimly lit with a long thick wooden bar also adorned and filled with people. What we thought was the highlight of our night, the mere decorations and ambiance of the place… our night was just starting and man did it get better!
*Warning: It does truly uphold its speakeasy atmosphere, so please be forwarned of the hum of music and murmurs of everyone talking echoing throughout the place.
The Food:
For one, don’t be discouraged by the prices, because by the end of it we ended up spending as much as we would at any middle to upper scaled restaurant. With the small menu, there was plenty of unique and inspiring dishes to choose from… stone-fired pita pizzas, snacks, social plates, and feasts for 2+. It is meant to be a tapas kind of menu and it sure did work for us! We got 5 social plates which was definitely a little too much and 1 feast for the table of 4. We did not have any room for dessert 🙁
(next time we will be sure to save room for the baked alaska!)
Each plate was different from the next, each plate left us wanting more. The head chef expertly created unique and inspiring dishes that allowed us to have a different flavor from around the world. Not one plate was overwhelming or something that we did not want to finish. From the Fried Clams, to the Lamb Ribs, or Crispy Tater Cubes and Octopus, each plate was well done with not one being substantially better than the next (would eat them all again), but we did have our favorites**…
The stone fired pita pizzas were crispy light and packed with flavor, and…
…the best feast of all was the duck!!
The whole duck feast was roasted and laid over a bed of pea filled congee along with trumpet mushrooms and heirloom roasted carrots. It was crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. The ginger infused sauce was a perfect contrast to the meat itself and was our little trip to Asia for the night. Definitely could overfeed 4 people…
The Drinks:
Cocktails are fun and well decorated. Range from $12-$16. Would recommend trying one!
The Service:
The service was superb. Our waitress was extremely attentive, personable, and gave great suggestions. Our plates and utensils were constantly changed and our water was never empty. We were so amazed at how quick they were at filling the water that we did a test… avg. time to refill <2 minute wait.
**FAVORITES:
The lamb ribs I will always remember, and that was as well the consensus of the table… MUST have the Duck (rotating menu tho it seems).
If you aren’t into the whole sit down meal, grabbing a drink and getting any of the social plates (my personal favorite was the crispy tater cubes… everyone was right they are really good) is something that is very doable here, allowing you to soak in the ambiance as well as get a taste of the food…
Overall:
Based on this grading scheme…
* Walk Out
** When will it end?
***Ok, will return if friend wants to go…
****Will definitely go again.
*****Can I live here?
I give Yvonne’s 5 stars! The overall atmosphere along with the amazing food really made for a spectacular meal! Yvonne’s made sure to fully encompass all of our senses not just with the food but with the decor and hospitality as well! Make sure you give it a try!
Check out my Instagram Highlight Story!
View Menu Online:
https://www.yvonnesboston.com/menus/