The Left Bank: a must-try eatery in Weston (if you like French food)
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
There's a new-to-me place in Weston, VT that you must try if you like French bistro food and are in the area. It's called The Left Bank, and it's been around for a couple of years now. How I didn't know about a local restaurant that offers elevated French café food, prepared by a chef trained by Cat Kora and Emeril, I'll never know. But better late than never, right?
Before I dig in to the food we had, I need to state that this was a birthday (*BIG*/ milestone birthday!) meal, so we went all out.
The cocktails were excellent and refreshing, and were served with amazing (warm) house-baked bread, butter and perfectly marinated olives (orange essence and a hint of heat), which were consumed with zest.
I've heard from several people now that their pate is sublime, but as we'd had a mousse like that a few days prior we skipped it. Instead, we had the onion soup and escargots (which are served with gougeres (cheese puffs)!) to start. The soup had a gruyere crostini instead of the gooey-melty topping, which was very good (and felt lighter), and the escargots were well prepared, although I happen to like my garlic butter more garlic-y than most, and I did wish this one had a little more garlic in it. The green salad was refreshing and shockingly delicious -- in part because of the perfect vinaigrette but also because the lettuce came from their greenhouse that day.
For our mains, we had a braised lamb shank over orzo special which was tender and yummy, as well as the steak frites with bone marrow butter on top, served with an olive aioli for the fries. The fries were really REALLY great -- great enough that when we return, I'll definitely get the fries starter (see description on menu below)! And because we felt we needed a veggie (you know, to make it healthy!), we got a bok choy which was lovely. Dessert was their lemon chiffon cake with raspberry, which did not disappoint.
In the summer a lot of their ingredients come from their own gardens, and they are opening a bakery just across the road from the restaurant, which, based on the quality of the bread, will be pretty great. There's also a special wine cellar dining room where you can have a private prix-fixe dinner with some of your favorite people.
Here is the menu offered to us in April 2026. Click here for the prix-fixe wine cellar menu.
The Left Bank is located in a sweet, small, and luxe inn in Weston called, unoriginally, The Weston. Looked nice enough that I might like to stay there even though I can sleep in my own bed only 30 minutes away. But, to be honest, part of what makes me want to stay there is the fact you can have your breakfast prepared by the restaurant.
Will we be back? Oh, yes. Will we bring friends and recommend it? You bet! So do yourself a favor and check this place out. It is one of several amazing options for a celebration meal (or any-day meal for a foodie) in southern Vermont. Plus, it's close to the famed Country Store in Weston, which is open until 5 most days. Do some shopping, then cross the road and have a drink or two at the bar at the Left Bank before dinner there. And then thank me later.
Happy eating! Or, better: Bon Appetit!
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