Let us tell you about our latest restaurant obsession. It’s located in Greenwich, CT, its cuisine is Mediterranean-inspired, and its mission is “to transport the ambiance of Provence to the Gold Coast of Connecticut”. If you guessed that we’re referring to L’Escale, you’re right!
L’Escale, founded by Rick Wahlstedt in 2003, is conveniently situated at the Delamar Greenwich Harbor Hotel and designed with both an antique elegance and modern flair. More specifically, “Two-hundred-year-old stone terra cotta tiles from Provence adorn the floors with a wood burning fireplace lending unmistakable charm and beauty”. Award-winning and seasoned Executive Chef Frederic Kieffer strives to transport you through his flavors to a beautiful destination location in the Côte d’Azur, and Head Pastry Chef Wendy Laurent will leave you swooning over her sweet treats. L’Escale is not just a restaurant, but an experience, and while you enjoy the unique and delicious food on the waterfront terrace filled with mesmerizing wrought iron details, your mind will remain at ease.
The menu itself is a trip through the Mediterranean with a French essence, and there are dishes to accommodate all tastes. Offering lunch, dinner, dessert, and brunch, each plate touches upon classic comfort yet with a clear and authentic influence of other cultures and flavors. For lunch, you can enjoy meals like Kaluga caviar, New England clam chowder, mussels “Provençale”, L’Escale bacon cheeseburger, squid ink linguini, “crêpes au jambon”, and much more. Meanwhile, for dinner, the sophisticated palette expands while still offering some of their classics; a few examples include grilled local calamari, cavatelli “arrabiatta”, Fjord Islands salmon a la plancha, paella napoletana, and chicken “chausseur”. On both of these daily menus, you can also enjoy plenty of fresh seafood “on ice” in its various arrangements as curated by the chef. For dessert, there is warm “honey crisp” apple tart, traditional cinnamon sugar churros, black & white chocolate soufflé, caramelized banana “foster”, vanilla crème brulée, dame blanche, and carrot cake. Is your head spinning yet? Each and every choice on the menu is satisfying in its familiarity yet utterly special in its creation and preparation, and there is no doubt that you will receive top service from the beginning to end of your L’Escale visit.
Looking for a classy brunch spot? L’Escale is one step ahead. On the menu for you to indulge in are coques de mer, English breakfast, oeufs en “meurette”, smoked salmon benedict, crab meat omelette, corn flake crusted French toast, croque madame, and so much more to satisfy your lazy day splurge. They also host specially tailored holiday brunches from time to time, the most recently advertised being their Easter brunch buffet, which will serve local oysters and clams on the half shell, shrimp cocktail, homemade smoked salmon, scallion cream cheese with bagel chips, and a country table of charcuterie and cheese platters along with caprese salad. If this all didn’t sound amazing already, they also offer catering for weddings, corporate meetings, special occasions, bar/bat mitzvahs, and more, and there are various special events and “Wine Dinners” that are listed on their website.
From its unparalleled and exceptional fare to the tranquil and refined atmosphere, and with a professional mission and worldly inspiration, L’Escale is the ultimate dining experience in Greenwich, and we are already craving our next Mediterranean escape. And soon, their outdoor patio will be open for the summer months, and you will never want to leave!