Dinner at L'Espalier is a unique experience, very much like spending the evening at the home of a dear friend who has only your pleasure in mind -- and a dozen helpers in the kitchen. Chef-owner Frank McClelland presides over one of Boston's favorite special-occasion destinations, which consists of three dining rooms on the second floor of an 1886 town house. The space is formal yet inviting, the service excellent, the food magnificent. The imaginative kitchen uses classic techniques to turn the freshest and most interesting ingredients available -- many from small New England purveyors of everything from seafood to game to organic produce -- into unforgettable dishes. The regularly changing menu might include seared diver scallops with black truffles, red-lentil purée, and cardamom-tangerine beurre blanc; prosciutto-wrapped Scottish partridge; or grilled beef tenderloin with yuca-and-potato rösti and sauce au poivre. Even if you order one of the superb soufflés, ask to see the beautiful desserts -- like the breads, they're made in-house. Or finish with the celebrated cheese tray, which always includes at least two local selections.