Lunch, Anyone? Aquitaine

Diners can indulge in classic French fare in the cozy South End establishment. Photos by Esther Ro (COM’15)

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when picking a restaurant in Boston’s chic South End—the neighborhood is well known as a mecca for fine dining, brimming with restaurants, bars, and cafés that cater to every cuisine. But when it comes to French, you can stop at the As. Aquitaine offers comfort food in an intimate bistro setting, making it an excellent spot for a leisurely lunch.

Forewarned that there is often a wait, we made a reservation for a recent Saturday afternoon. The hostess immediately led us past the tiny bar filled shoulder-to-shoulder with patrons and tables full of families and friends to a cozy booth in the back.

French classics are the staple here, from Salad Niçoise ($14.95) and Steak Frites ($28.95) to Mussels en Cassoulette ($13.95). Equally alluring, though, are familiar dishes given a unique spin. Both the Croque Madame, a pressed sandwich with smoked ham and Gruyère topped with a fried egg and served with a house Mornay sauce ($14.95), and the Croque Magret, a pressed sandwich of duck confit and Gruyère cheese ($14.95), are modern takes on the traditional Croque Monsieur, a pressed sandwich with ham and Gruyère, which is also available ($12.95).

Spying diners with the pressed sandwiches as we walked to our table, we ordered a Croque Madame. We added a cup of Soupe a L’Oignon, onion soup with Amontillado sherry and melted aged Gruyère ($11.95) to our order. Although the Croque Madame was only half a sandwich, the accompanying accoutrements—a heaping pile of homemade sea salt potato chips and a watercress and poached pear salad with sherry vinaigrette—made the portion just right. The Mornay sauce complemented the cheese and the grilled bread, courtesy of Iggy’s Bread in Cambridge (the only menu item not made in-house), retained just the right amount of crunch. A side salad accompanied the heaping crock of onion soup, which was large enough to share. A barometer of any French restaurant is its onion soup, and Aquitaine’s rivals the best. Melted Gruyère overflowed from a bowl brimming with soaked baguette slices and sweet onions.

Our Saturday visit allowed us to sample the famous weekend brunch menu as well. The Malted Belgian Waffle ($10.95), topped with blackberries and whipped cream and with a side of sweet butter, was lighter and airier than others we’ve had on the Boston brunch circuit. Egg-based dishes—like the Omelette Alsacienne ($10.95), mushrooms, raclette, and thyme, and the Scrambled Eggs Mornay ($11.95), loaded with truffled mushrooms and crispy garlic and served with seven-grain toast—made for tasty, if standard, brunch fare.

For the budget-conscious diner, Aquitaine has weekly deals that make the fare more affordable than that of an average French restaurant. The bistro offers a hearty lunch special ($13.95): a half sandwich (Tuna Salade Classique, Grilled Cheese, or the Croque Monsieur), soup (Tomato Fennel Bisque, Butternut Squash, or for a $3 surcharge, French Onion), a side salad, and a soft drink or coffee. All day Saturday and from 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday, customers can indulge in the Prix Fixe Brunch ($11.95): a glazed cinnamon bun, a glass of fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit juice, bottomless coffee, and an omelet or Parisian-style crêpes.

The setting is lovely—white tablecloths, flowers in big vases, and large glass windows overlooking the street—and the staff is attentive. During our meal, the manager stopped by twice to check that everything was to our satisfaction. We didn’t save room for dessert, but we will the next time we visit. Aquitaine’s bounty of delicious French desserts ranges from a Warm Chocolate Cake and Crispy Chocolate Bread Pudding to Confiture De Lait Crème Brulée and Apple Tarte Tatin with Calvados Caramel ($6.95-7.95).

Aquitaine, 569 Tremont St., Boston, is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; for dinner Sunday through Wednesday from 5:30 to 10 p.m., Thursday through Saturday to 11 p.m.; brunch is Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Make a reservation at 617-424-8577. All major credit cards accepted. Take any MBTA Green Line trolley to Copley and walk up to Tremont Street. Aquitaine also has locations in Chestnut Hill and Dedham.

This is part of a weekly series featuring Boston lunch spots of interest to the BU community. If you have any suggestions for places we should feature, leave them in the Comment section below.

Rebecca Jahnke can be reached at rsjahnke@bu.edu.

This Series

Brunch Bets: Gen Sou En Tea House

Also in

Lunch, Anyone?

• April 18, 2018

  Lunch, Anyone? La Befana

• April 11, 2018

  Lunch Anyone? BB.Q Chicken

• March 29, 2018

  Lunch, Anyone? Bennett’s Sandwich Shop

Series home