The best way to familiarize oneself with a different country's culture is to spend 10 to 15 years in one of its maximum-security prisons, but the second-best way is to taste its cuisine. Learn about France with today's Groupon: for $25, you get $50 worth of French edibles at La Voile in Back Bay.

La Voile serves up authentic, stylish French cuisine in a cozy, elegant atmosphere. The restaurant’s extensive menu of flavorful fare is guarded by its duo of extensively trained chefs, both of whom have experience at restaurants such as Guy Savoy and Alain Ducasse and graduated from culinary schools in France, where food was invented. Start with an appetizer of mussels in curry sauce ($12) before moving on to the meatier horizons of a pork chop served in its own juices with juniper berries on a bed of sauerkraut ($22). Mediterranean sea bass comes simply roasted with a beurre blanc sauce ($33), while crispy breast of duck is served a l’orange with a cinnamon glaze alongside fingerling potatoes and spinach ($26). The dessert menu’s warm pear tart ($9) and crème brûlée ($8) are available to complement taste buds’ post-prandial high-fives. Daychewers can also stop by for a midday munch from the lunch menu, including gnocchi “Caprese” ($12), a handful of hand-friendly sandwiches ($10.50–$13.50), and roasted organic chicken with potato purée ($17.50).

Originally opened in Cannes, France, in 1947, La Voile served gourmet fare to the south of France for six decades. Almost the entire restaurant has been transplanted to Boston, including the zinc bar, vintage chandeliers, and marble console. The elegant decorations and glowing light make the interior ideally suited for intimate dinners, and the patio is ideal for summer evening meals with the imaginary epicures in any pretend posse.

Reviews

Boston magazine, the Boston Phoenix, and the Boston Globe all reviewed La Voile. Dish This! positively reviewed the business, and Zagat rated the food, décor, and service very good to excellent. More than 65 Yelpers give the restaurant a 3.5-star average.

• The sliced filet mignon, $31 and worth it, was tender yet full of steak flavor (as filet mignon practically never is), perhaps because, despite what the menu says, it’s not grilled but sautéed whole – Corby Kummer, Boston magazine
• The orzo risotto was incredibly rich and creamy and tasted pretty much like heaven. – Dish Gal, Dish This!