Bolete

The food is ALWAYS phenomenal. I had the local tomato salad as an app and cod with potato crust as an entrée. 90% of the time when I visit, I order fish but sometimes I opt for the duck (depending what the sides are). The quality of the food, the portions, the presentation and the taste is always wonderful. Service is slow but everything is made to order so I don't mind. The tables are also very close together. Don't forget to order butterscotch pudding for dessert! My favorite restaurant! Also, I've been to several of the chef's tastings and they are always amazing-they offer that option a few times a week.

Dazzling. The food was amazing with layers of flavor and texture. My palate was surprised by the variety in each dish. Very creative use of in-season vegetables. Even familiar dishes tasted new and exciting. The atmosphere is relaxed/casual. I already recommended it to many other people. I have a new favorite place to eat.

Honey. This place is a must. Everything was phenomenal. Was visiting from out of town and this was the highlight of my trip. Every bite we had was 10/10. The cocktails were phenomenal. And the staff made us feel welcome and cozy. I literally love this place. We came for brunch and it did not disappoint

I’m hesitant to give this place a 4/5 rating, especially since it’s one of my all-time favorites in the Lehigh Valley. However, as a repeat customer, I can’t help but feel that their offerings and experience have taken a dip compared to the past. Let’s start with the cocktails. My favorite was the Ghost of Mary, which had a delightful briny flavor perfectly complemented by tomolives. But yesterday, it was served with sour olives instead, which changed the taste to something closer to a dry, dirty martini. I always appreciated their other cocktails with Reyka Icelandic vodka, but unfortunately, it’s no longer offered. On a positive note, I did notice a few Buffalo Trace bourbon replacements. Moving on to the food, the appetizers were a bit of a letdown. The tuna sashimi felt a bit old, especially since it had a slight sear that only accentuated its lack of freshness. The oysters mignonette sauce was packed with flavors, but the oysters themselves were dry and a bit rigid. The entrees were where the place truly shines. The quail seared to perfection was paired with a healthy serving of broccolini and artichokes, and the quail eggs were aesthetically beautiful and delicious. Similarly, the chicken was exceptional. We rarely order chicken, but when we do, it has to be at Bolete because it’s elevated in quality and taste, surpassing even a perfectly cooked fillet mignon. The chicken is never dry, with a crispy sear and a fresh, never frozen taste.

An outstanding dining experience across the board. I arrived at Bolete with high expectations after hearing friends talk it up. Chef Lee and team met and exceeded those expectations, and Scott provided amazing service and recommendations the whole night. The building itself is understated and tastefully lit at night. We were greeted immediately and shown upstairs, winding our way through a myriad of rooms until we settled at table 1, an oversized (oversized for two, that is) round corner table with seating for four, sharing the room with two other long dining tables where couples dined at either end. What first struck me compared to other restaurants is how well they utilized the space. Where most other restaurants squeeze in as many tables as guests will tolerate, and then add a few more, Bolete has deftly organized the intimate space into four private areas for couples to dine. Scott stopped by to introduce himself and inquire about drinks, and immediately struck a wonderful balance of rapport with professionalism. He was able to make recommendations and share taste profiles of various cocktails, appetizers, and entrees throughout the evening. I started with The Remedy, a wonderful bourbon based cocktail with a bit of a kick to it. My wife had Applesauced, another sweeter bourbon based seasonal cocktail. We decided to start with the Crisp Rhode Island Calamari, with arugula, meyer lemon, cippolini, oyster mushroom, truffle aioli, and parsley sunflower pesto. A few minutes later I caved and added Bolete's Steak Tartare to the order, with local mushroom duxelles, roasted bone marrow, chives, black truffle vinaigrette, red onion, capers, toasted sourdough, truffle aioli, and confit egg yolk. Both arrived with great plating and were delicious. The attention to detail really comes through. Following our appetizers, my wife went with the Roasted Pastrami Duck Breast, with risotto, leeks, blood orange, shiitake mushrooms, parmesan, cranberry blood orange gastrique, and duck jus. I chose the Cast Iron Seared Dayboat Black Sea Bass, with hand rolled potato gnocchi, artichoke, spinach, shiitake mushroom, pioppini mushrooms, parsley-sunflower seed pesto, a poached egg, and cauliflower puree. These again were plated beautifully and tasted amazing. My wife enjoyed a second Applesauced while I partnered my sea bass with the 2022 Mount Fishtail Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Finally, we had to try the Butterscotch Pudding we had heard so much about, with candied pecans and fresh whipped cream. We also chose to have the Hot Cocoa Profiteroles (after leaving Scott to pronounce it) with milk chocolate mousse, fudge sauce, warm marshmallows, caramel meringue ice cream, and chocolate crumb. You guessed it - these were also plated elegantly and were decadent. Overall, we had a wonderful time and will definitely be returning.

The most incredible dining experience I've ever had. Everything was so fresh, creative and well thought out. Service was also outstanding. My partner and I came back twice in one week to experience Chef Lee and Chef Amy's creations. We went to Chef Lee's ramen restaurant, Mr. Lee's Noodles, the day after we ate at Bolete and had another unforgettable dining experience. These chefs are magicians and really know how to use ingredients to create memorable, pallette pleasing recipes that are sure to please. Can't wait to try the B-Side at the grand opening this weekend. I'm sure it will be just as amazing.

Made a reservation for brunch. Linda was my server. She was warm and attentive. I must have dietary restrictions on the reservation platform from a previous reservation elsewhere because she confirmed those and made suggestions/substitutions accordingly. Food was great. You get a complimentary muffin and scone. I don’t eat pork, so she gave me two peach muffins since the scone had bacon. Cons: There was a dead fly next to my table that no one noticed. I finally pointed it out to my waitress after several stops by ny table. She promptly got rid of it. Later there was also a huge fly buzzing around. I’m not sure if it’s like that all the time or if I was just unlucky. Also, the place is really small. It can get pretty loud inside, and you might feel crammed in if the restaurant is full.

Edited to add: visited again 6/21- nothing but the best! More photos added. As always, amazing food and service! Everyone/thing is always above and beyond.