Right off the plane and right to my hotel (The Colonnade); goodness I was hungry. Thankfully the restaurant affiliated with my hotel, Brasserie Jo, was open and ready to feed me! I mean who doesn’t want to treat themselves to a 5-star meal after a long day of exhausting travel? I love French restaurants, which may come as a surprise to many. Yes crepes, tartes, and lavish bread-filled dishes line the menus, but meat and seafood are always available, and French salads are fancy yet super delicious!
My waiter definitely stared at me with confusion as I ordered multiple items… to enjoy with no other company. And I don’t even want to know what the restaurant thought when I completely devoured all of the dishes! To start, I had to order the crispy cauliflower (yogurt on the side). The cauliflower is flash-fried in a fryer, and subject to cross contamination, so if you are sensitive to this preparation you will have to sit the dish out. The cauliflower literally tasted like candy! I finished the whole bowl in minutes, and the portion was super generous! I also ordered the French Fries, because how could I go to a FRENCH Bistro and not order the FRENCH fries??! Thin and crisp, the fries were perfect! (Also cooked in a shared fryer). For my main course I was torn between the salmon cooked in a lemon beurre blanc, the scallops on corn with smoked bacon and fingerling potatoes, and the tuna nicoise salad. I haven’t had scallops in forever, and prior to going to the restaurant I totally stalked their Instagram and saw the scallops, and that pretty much made up my mind! I subbed out the corn and bacon and added spinach to the dish!
I also ordered Brasserie Jo for breakfast the next morning and was very pleased with their gluten-free offerings. Scrambled eggs, potatoes, smoked salmon, and fruit; how could I go wrong with a menu like that?! I look forward to staying at The Colonnade and dining at Brasserie Jo when I go to Boston next!