# The SBHonline Community Daily > Restaurants Wine & Food Off The Island >  >  La Voile Boston

## sbhlvr

Has anyone tried this brasserie in Boston??
While we were at The Wall House, we purchased some of the rhum. While conversing with Bernard, he asked us where we were from and then gave us a card from La Voile on Newbury Street. He wrote a little note on it to Jerome, his friend and owner. I'm thinking that we might check it our this weekend.

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## KevinS

We've been there several times.  It's a Brasserie with good French food.  I've had the Sole Meuniere and the Blanquette de Veau.  

There are outside tables a few steps below sidewalk level, and a dining room a few more steps down, in the lower level of the building, which I remember as an old brownstone.  

I remember Jerome from when he worked at Wall House.  My recollection is that he is the Maitre D', not the owner.  Julien, Bernard's son, was the Maitre D' at La Voile prior to moving to SBH as part-owner of Wall House.

I would definitely visit La Voile again.  

You can find their website at http://www.lavoileboston.net

There is a parking garage a few blocks further down Newbury St from the restaurant.  It's not cheap, but it's not outrageous, and it's convenient.

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## sbhlvr

Thanks Kevin for the correction on Jerome. I had a feeling you might have been there. I miss being in the hub and seeing new places come into town.
I used to live in the Back Bay so finding parking on the street has never been a problem for me. Dave calls me the parking genuis!
I hope the weather holds for some strolling about town.

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## Rosemary

Kevin-how fresh was the sole?

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## KevinS

:Wink:   Well, it didn't say Dover, so I'm guessing it was local sole.  However, paraphrasing Mike, if you drown it in enough butter and lemon, who could tell?

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## Rosemary

Geez. I forgot the Dover component. I am sure it was fresh and delicious.

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## KevinS

It was - as far as I could tell under the butter and lemon, LOL.  I'm more likely to order the Blanquette de Veau though, even in the summer.  I can cook good fish at home, including sole.  I can cook good veal chops at home.  But I've never tried cooking Blanquette de Veau.

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## andynap

We ate there last summer and I had the dover sole which they swore was authentic. It was delicious . We ate inside because it was hot but the outside dining is fine.

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## MIke R

> But I've never tried cooking Blanquette de Veau.




its not difficult at all....you  just have to be careful incorporating the egg yolks....otherwise its a snap....

and Im sure your Georges Bank sole was delicious too....  :Wink:

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## andynap

> and Im sure your Georges Bank sole was delicious too....




They said it was Dover sole- Kevin told me to ask and that's what I was told- it certainly looked like it and tasted like it and charged me like it.  }:|

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## JEK

At least it wasn't that overpriced-only-uninformed-fools-would-buy Turbot.

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## andynap

LOL

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## MIke R

> At least it wasn't that overpriced-only-uninformed-fools-would-buy Turbot.




you betcha...yuck..I'm guessing the diners in this fair site are far too sophisticated to  ever order that

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## MIke R

> and Im sure your Georges Bank sole was delicious too....
> 			
> 		
> 
> 
> 
> They said it was Dover sole- Kevin told me to ask and that's what I was told- it certainly looked like it and tasted like it and charged me like it.  }:|



I'm sure they believe it...the dover sole stamp at the P town fishmongers cold storage facility gets  a lot of use this time of year...LOL
.....and do you really believe they would tell you anything different knowing you have absolutely no freakin way to challenge it??????..really????

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## Dennis

> Originally Posted by JEK
> 
> At least it wasn't that overpriced-only-uninformed-fools-would-buy Turbot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> you betcha...




OMG...you DID go bar hopping with her!

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## MIke R

LOL....I did....sorry

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## andynap

> Originally Posted by Andynap
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 			
> 				and Im sure your Georges Bank sole was delicious too....
> ...




You are very negative. I believed them and that's what counts.  :P

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## JEK

Here's the deal. We spend the like it is our own, because it is, and we enjoy it. He shows restraint and agrees each to his own. This isn't the way he rolls. Trust me.

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## MIke R

oh please......talk the about the pot calling the kettle black....LOL

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## andynap

I am talking about La Voile and Dover Sole and nothing else. I am willing to bet that there is a least ONE restaurant in the US that sells real Dover Sole- not frozen.

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## MIke R

possibly.....highly unlikely...but possibly

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## MIke R

> You are very negative. I believed them and that's what counts.  :P




if I video the boxes getting stamped this summer and heading to Boston and Providence....will you then retract your statement of me being negative...can I get you to agree on that?

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## andynap

Get a box going to La Voile and I'll retract. So if Legal Seafood says it's Dover Sole- it isn't?? Or Jasper White?? Or Ming Tsai, Todd English??

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## MIke R

Legals  and Jaspars, as far as I know, have never sold Dover sole....their sole was always advertised as simply...sole....if they got their hands on some Dover sole for a one day special I would tend to believe that way more than a restaurant who has it on the menu everyday and claims it to be such everyday......depending on the time of year, Dover provides 10 - 15% of the sole in the world...thats it thats all....you gotta figure ( but I don't know for fact ) of that 15%, England and France would get the lions share...that would be mean less than 10% of any sole worldwide will be Dover Sole...based on those numbers you can draw  your own conclusions....my  commercial fishing trade papers I read tell me that the vast majority of Dover sole comes from the Pacific Northwest and Georges Bank...but what do they know?...LOL

and again...for the umpteenth time..there are currently NO rules or regulations regarding what a  seafood distributor can call any fish....and sole is  sole is sole so they have no issue calling any sole Dover sole because it is in fact the very same fish as that which comes from Dover.....so...when you think about that....why not????

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## andynap

La Voile doesn't have it on their menu everyday- it was a special. If you look now it's not on their menu. Give me some credit- even I know it's only available on a limited basis.

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## MIke R

well then there you go.....bon appetit

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## andynap

I rest my case.  :laugh:

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## MIke R

amen and  onward....I came home with a bunch of very fresh codfish  from PTown today...fish and chips tomorrow...with fennel slaw

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## andynap

Cod is scarce here- Haddock usually. Send some down. The power went out and I had to fire up my generator- luckily I have a gas stove- nice shrimp in a honey glaze with Basmati rice.

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## Rosemary

That sounds delicious, Andy.  Including the generator.  I want one. We miss the cod we used to get.  Lately it has been anemic. Lucky you, Mike.

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## MIke R

> stove- nice shrimp in a honey glaze with Basmati rice.




and the shrimp was from>>>>?????....LOL

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## MIke R

> We miss the cod we used to get.  Lately it has been anemic. Lucky you, Mike.



they ve been catching cod very well this spring up here....but not good enough to start shipping it out yet...most of it stays home

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## JEK

I'm having a nice large turbot air shipped from France. I hope it doesn't make a stop in P Town for labeling.

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## MIke R

LOL....me too...they re closed til Monday anyway  :p   :Wink:

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## JEK

> Legals  and Jaspars, as far as I know, have never sold Dover sole....their sole was always advertised as simply...sole....



  DOVER SOLE

Type :	Fish
  |   ShareThis

Dover Sole, the premier white fish with a unique and delicate flavor, is a choice pick for elegant dining during the holiday season.  The very best Dover Sole comes from Holland, so thats where *Legal Sea Foods* sources this wild-caught favorite. As a mainstay of the European seafood scene for generations, it is considered one of the foundations of Continental cuisine.

The thick-bodied Dover Sole is a flatfish that never gets much longer than 20 inches, and, like other soles, has its eyes on the right-hand side.  Landed by trawlers, the species can be found between 400 and 1000 meters deep in cold ocean waters from the North Sea to Africa.  Dover Sole can live for 45 years and are first available to commercial fisheries at about six to seven years of age. They spawn annually in winter, males at four years of age, females at age five.  Each mature fish served in restaurants weighs between 24 and 28 ounces and, by tradition, is impressively filleted at the table in full view of the diner.
Few fish command more respect in culinary circles than the true Dover Sole, which yields thin yet firm fillets that hold together well in many preparations. The raw meat is glistening white and dense and stays white during cooking. The flavor of the Dover sole is mild and sweet, elusive and enticingly different from more mundane white fish species.  Its a special indulgence and always worth extra care and expense.

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## MIke R

yes but it is not on the menu everyday...I already said I could understand anyone getting it once in a while...its the place claiming they have everyday that is suspect......and Legals, when they get it, is coming from Holland...not Dover.....which is no different coming from George Bank...which has been my point from minute one...you just  helped me make my point...thank you

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## JEK

> Landed by trawlers, the species can be found between 400 and 1000 meters deep in cold ocean waters from the North Sea to Africa



Sounds like European waters to me.  See what your fishmonger says about it.

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## MIke R

exactly......and the pacific northwest...and georges bank.....its ALL Dover sole....thats been my point!!!!!...

my fishmonger, who ships major tonnage every week of every year would say "if they want dover sole...I'll get em dover sole,  no matter where it comes from, if its sole, it will be dover sole if thats what they want it called"

same thing New Bedford would say..same thing  Gloucester would say


and a PC is just as good as an Apple right???..and a blackberry is just as good as an iPhone eh???....please...

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## MIke R

here you go



Aquaculture Potential

*The Dover sole is a high value species that supports a large fishery in the Pacific Northwest.* In fact, Love states, "Dovers are the most important flatfish in the Oregon commercial fishery" (1996). There has been increasing interest in culturing flatfish in general. As of the this website's release, there has been no announcement of aquaculture research for this species. It may be a potential species in the future if the wild stocks significantly decline.

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## MIke R

wait  a minute...how does this happen?..Im confused..how can it be both Pacific AND Dover

somethings fishy here....  :Big Grin:   :Big Grin:   :Big Grin:  


from a McGraths Fish House, Salem OR

Entrées Include Sourdough Bread, Fresh Steamed Vegetables, Choice of Garden Salad or Coleslaw and your Choice of: Red Potatoes, Penne Pasta, Rice Pilaf, Fish House Fries, Cottage Cheese or Sliced Tomatoes. Enjoy one of the choices listed below in place of a garden salad:
Clam Chowder or Fishermen's Stew ... $1.59
Petite Shrimp Louis .. $1.79
Oregon Pear, Bleu Cheese and Walnut Salad ... $2.99

COCONUT PRAWNS $13.99
Jumbo Prawns Golden Fried in our Coconut Breading and served with Spiced Orange Marmalade.

CRAB CAKES $14.99
Crab and Oregon Bay Shrimp Blended with Light Spices and Grilled to Order. Finished with Lobster Cream Sauce.

STUFFED PRAWNS $11.99
Butterflied Prawns Stuffed with a Mixture of Crab and Bay Shrimp, then Baked to Perfection. Topped with Lobster Beurre Blanc.

PAN-FRIED OYSTERS $13.99
Lightly Breaded. Pan Fried or Cajun Style. Always Fresh.




NEW ORLEANS CATFISH
Petite Prawns, Andouille Sausage, Mushrooms, Scallions, Peppers, Tomatoes and Cajun Cream Sauce over Blackened Catfish.

HAZELNUT SOLE $11.99
*Fresh Pacific Dover Sole* rolled in crushed Hazelnut, grilled and topped with Lemon Dill Sauce.

MACADAMIA MAHI MAHI $13.99
Mahi Mahi Rolled in a Macadamia Nut Crust, Grilled and Presented over a Pineapple Beurre Blanc.

PINEAPPLE COCONUT AHI $13.99
Sashimi grade Ahi Tuna cooked medium rare in a Coconut Crust and served over Pineapple Coulis and Sriracha Sauce.

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## JEK

You need to lay off the sauce after your hiatus. The question at hand was Dover Sole at Legal. They got it. Dutch or French it isn't local produce and I know that hurts your pride, but it is life.  Ciao.

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## Petri

> Aquaculture Potential
> 
> *The Dover sole is a high value species that supports a large fishery in the Pacific Northwest.* In fact, Love states, "Dovers are the most important flatfish in the Oregon commercial fishery" (1996). There has been increasing interest in culturing flatfish in general. As of the this website's release, there has been no announcement of aquaculture research for this species. It may be a potential species in the future if the wild stocks significantly decline.



"Because of its prestige, the name "Dover sole" was borrowed to name the eastern Pacific species Microstomus pacificus, a quite distinct species with different culinary properties: the Pacific sole has thinner, less firm fillets and sells for a lower price."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solea_solea)

Dover sole refers to two species of flatfish:
- The common sole, Solea solea, found in European waters, the "Dover sole" of European cookery.
- Microstomus pacificus, found in the northeastern Pacific and called "Dover sole" along the Pacific coast of America.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dover_sole)

http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3367/en has a nice map for the Solea solea.   The dutch and french are the largest fishers of it nowadays.


But in any case, fish is still best when it's fresh and eaten in a place where fishing is party of the daily life :)   Just like sushi is the best in Japan, tapas in Spain, Bistecca alla Fiorentina in Tuscany, etc..

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## andynap

> Originally Posted by Andynap
> 
> stove- nice shrimp in a honey glaze with Basmati rice.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and the shrimp was from>>>>?????....LOL





Gulf shrimp from Trader Jor

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## MIke R

:thumb up:   :thumb up:   :thumb up:

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## MIke R

> You need to lay off the sauce after your hiatus. The question at hand was Dover Sole at Legal. They got it. Dutch or French it isn't local produce and I know that hurts your pride, but it is life.  Ciao.



again.. with the pot calling the kettle black....LOL

I know

and I said ..and I quote "Legals and Jaspars, *as far as I know*"....I am in Legals about 10 times a year....and you????..and  I have  never ever seen it on the menu.... thats what my answer was based on

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## MIke R

QUOTE:  "Because of its prestige, *the name "Dover sole" was borrowed to name the eastern Pacific species* Microstomus pacificus, a quite distinct species with different culinary properties: the Pacific sole has thinner, less firm fillets and sells for a lower price."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solea_solea)





and this too has been my point all along

only in the seafood industry can that legally occur...can you imagine the confusion and eventual deception if the meat industry could "borrow" the name kobe beef or heritage turkey 

snapper is the other mixed and matched, name it as you go along, fish...

the deception between cod and haddock got so bad, reputable fish markets in New England now leave the skin on the haddock to prove it is just that..

and there is the whole "scrod" thing that was invented as well which got out of control

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## amyb

Mike, I got some great shrimp and was told it was from Ecuador. 

John, love the description of Dover sole.

Is the soft shell crab season over already?

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## andynap

Softshells still at my fish store but not for long. Hardshells are out too.

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## amyb

Thanks Andy.

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## MIke R

> Mike, I got some great shrimp and was told it was from Ecuador.




very good Amy......the chemical agents and antibiotics, and levels of antibiotics, specifically Chloramphenicol, they use in Asian farmed shrimp are mostly illegal banned products in this country..really nasty carcinogenic stuff, which is truly no good for you.....so ordering shrimp out in a restaurant, is really playing Russian roulette with your health, considering the lions share of shrimp come from those very Asian  farms

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## Petri

> kobe beef



It's getting pretty close, "kobe something" could mean the real stuff from Kobe or just wagyu beef in general.


EU law has several status for protected food; Protected Designation of Origin, Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed.  Wines, cheeses, hams, sausages, seafood, olives, even fruits and vegetables.  Feta that is not made in Greece must be labelled feta-like cheese, gorgonzola comes from certain regions in Italy, etc.

It's ok as such but not everyone is obeying the rules.  And it favors heavily the countries with very long food culture.

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## MIke R

well its the wild west here Petri in terms of seafood laws....no regulations whatsoever as to storage temperatures when the boats are out to sea.....no handling regulations...no USDA inspections of boats or cold storage facilities on land....nada...zippo..no regulations exist until the product gets to its final stop ( market or restaurant )....a boat can come in ( and does ) with room temperature 4 day old fish and that fish gets treated the exact same way day boat, properly cold stored fish, gets treated...not a single microscopic difference between the two....no regulations on product labeling - hell we cant even decide and agree on what to _call_ a fish from region to region...and then when a fish has an ugly name, we can simply change it to something prettier ( and deceptively incorrect )- i.e. Chilean sea bass, which is neither from Chile or a sea bass, without anyone saying we cant do it.....so we do



its nuts...

having to now label where a fish came from was a huge first step.....but it isnt nearly enough

 so the consumer has to trust a whole lot of people on a whole lot of levels (boat, fishmonger, truck driver, restaurant or fish market) in a mostly unregulated, ruleless environment, to _all_ be doing the right thing when you buy that piece of fish from God knows who, which came from God knows where, and was handled from catch to market in God knows what manner....

and the thing for me is...I *know* some of these people the consumer is forced to trust and have blind faith in....

which is even a scarier thought.... :p  :crazy:   :Big Grin:

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## Petri

You would loose your mind here with how the local food safety authority is doing their work :)

It's safe and there's cold chain for sure but try to get fresh or "just-caught" from anywhere.  Some of the restaurant chefs have got really mad about the situation, in the worst case imported fish from Portugal is as fresh as locally caught fish.

It's a bit like blueberry from the forest can't be organic because no one has monitored it.  A fish straight from the fisherman can't be good because the process cannot be monitored.  Better send it through the factories and wholesale instead.

With 200,000 lakes, big recreational fishing, and fish being one of the very few food traditions, it's such a disgrace.   (our fishing and the species are slightly different as we've got so much fresh water and even the sea is brackish water)

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## MIke R

the crazy truth of the matter is, a frozen fish company like Gortons of Gloucester, who catches, processes, cooks and packages the fish all at once at sea on their ships, is going to provide a higher quality product, then the independent  commercial fisherman, who goes out for days on end with not enough ice in his hold, and comes in with fish that haven't been handled or stored  in an ethical and appropriate manner.....don't get me wrong, there are plenty of guys who do the gig the right way...but for every one of them....there is the polar opposite guy cutting corners every where he can..._because_ he can...no one holds him accountable and he fetches the same exact price for his product as the guy who is doing it right fetches

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## Petri

Yup, that's true as well.

Here we don't have such a big fishing operations, a few hours on the sea and you're in another country :)  Just about ~500 professional fishers in the sea and another few hundred in the lakes (mostly http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coregonus_albula).

A third of the country's population fish recreationally.

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