Happy New Year! Before I dive into three can’t miss Boston dining experiences this month, I have to start by sharing our experiences of one of our favorite meals of 2018, New Year’s Eve at L’Espalier.

We were so lucky to have dined at L’Espalier many times over the years, so it was bittersweet to be there for their last dinner after 40 years of service. The meal started with an amazingly fresh amuse bouche of raw scallop and then moved onto a root vegetable salad with sunchokes.

After that we had some perfectly poached lobster with truffles followed by Hudson valley fois gras. Then it was time to move onto the main courses! We began with turbot, enjoyed Chef’s duck (course appropriately named “Chef Frank’s Love of This Dish”), and finally some prime ribeye. In traditional L’Espalier fashion, there was a cheese course before desert! As always, we enjoyed tasty wine pairings throughout the evening as well! We’ll miss you L’Espalier!

1) Boston Dining: Citrus & Salt

It’s a new year, which means you need a new brunch tradition. Head to Citrus & Salt in the Back Bay for a fun tasty Sunday morning meal.

Things like the Mexican Street Corn and house made guacamole are great starters and then then Chicken and Waffle tacos have to be your main alongside the avocado eggs benedict and then torta. And why not grab some churro bites for dessert?

2) Boston Dining: Kamakura

If you haven’t been to Kamakura yet you need to ASAP.

The menu is fresh, well executed and delicious. Any serious Japanese cuisine lover should go for the Cha Kaiseki tasting menu, a 7-course tasting menu showcasing all the flavors of Japan.

Each plate is a work of art–colorful & thoughtfully arranged! And as you all know I am all about anything matcha and not only did ours start with a matcha based cocktail, but it ended with a matcha tiramisu!

3) Boston Dining: Met Chocolate Bar

And finally since it’s January in Boston, the days are still short, it’s cold and most likely wet, so we all need a little hot chocolate in our lives. At Met Back Bay, you can have the ultimate hot chocolate experience.

Enjoy a flight of four miniature hot chocolate, each prepared with different flavors: Classic, Spicy Mexican, Dulce de Leche, and Peppermint.

Be sure to give these hotspots a try this month, don’t let the cold weather get you down!

For more articles on the Boston dining scene be sure to read all about the best Boston restaurant patios and our favorite things to do right now in the city!