L’Espalier opens.

The French restaurant is operated by Chef Moncef Meddebon and is located at 378 Boylston Street. It is credited with being the first independently-owned restaurant to bring haute cuisine to Boston. According to the New York Times, “The city’s Yankee clubs and old-style French restaurants got a wake-up call from nouvelle cuisine when L’Espalier opened.” Patrons include Julia Child, Mick Jagger, and Henry Kissinger. The restaurant moves to 30 Gloucester Street in 1980 [1982-DD], is purchased by chef Frank McClelland in 1988, moves to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at 774 Boylston Street in 2009, and closes on December 31, 2018.