sylvain

its entrance, nestled behind and in between buildings, can be easily missed so pay close attention not to miss it; for missing the entrance means missing an enjoyable and tasty dinner.
once seated, the server, in our case joe, gave us the most attentive service. his knowledge of the difference in the wines offered lead him to choose the perfect bottle that matched our distinctive taste preference for the night.
we started with the shaved brussel spout salad. it was refreshing and light. the lemon white balsamic dressing gave it a special kick.
one entree was the daily fish preparation. it was fresh and depending on the season and day of the week, the fish type itself differs. it was pan seared and then backed to a perfect outside crisp with a flaky inside.
the second entree which was made especially for me, a vegetarian, was a house made pasta with a light sauce and vegetables. this dish allowed my tastebuds to "party yum yum yum!"
this place is a must not only for the food and service, but for the atmosphere.
i never knew that sitting in an alleyway on non descriptive tables and chairs could be such a different and pleasant dinner experience.

sylvain is a truly unique establishment! they have amazing food, amazing cocktails, and quality service! i look forward to my future dining experiences here!

despite a plethora of fine dining restaurants in new orleans, it can still be a challenge to get a same-day reservation. sylvain wasn't my 1st choice, but the reviews are generally fantastic and the menu was pretty much what i was looking for.

the place is small (a half-dozen tables inside maybe?) and the bar runs the length of the inside part. i found it annoyingly noisy. had the veal sweetbreads: perfectly done but sweetbreads are subtle and the sauce they were served in was way too spicy imo (i love spicy food but not when it disguises the natural flavor of the principle ingredient).

there were two beef offerings, beef cheeks or hanger steak. i asked the server (i was at the bar, so it was actually a bartender) which of the two, and he spontaneously and enthusiastically endorsed the cheeks. they were perfectly done and served simple on a bed of mashed with some green veg. wanted to lick the plate.

oh, one more off-putting thing? the room smelled noticeably of fish - maybe being a small room somebody had had a "fishy fish" but it isn't an odor i'd expect. on the other hand, when i "checked in", the maitre d' acknowledged my special request and made me feel welcome (particularly as a single diner). so maybe the two points cancel one-another? 

so my review is mixed - i'd go back and eat al fresco when the weather is warmer.
loved some of the food... "meh" on the appy. friendly staff.

great gastro pub that i would definitely go back to . small place , quaint and have great food at reasonable prices . best shaved brussels sprout salad ever . would go back any time.

this is one of my favorite spots for dinner in new orleans. the atmosphere is easy and quaint. the charm of new orleans can be seen all over this place. chef alex harrell serves up drool worthy dishes time and time again. my personal recommendation is the shaved brussels sprouts salad and the braised beef cheek. eat here. you won't regret it.

dinner was great. the ambiance was great and all of our food selections were both unique and delicious. the staff were attentive yet not too intrusive for our intimate dinner. recommend!! i'll be going back for sure.

very romantic! we have always eaten brunch here which is amazing. we finally came for dinner and it also was amazing. we sat outside in the courtyard which i recommend!!

my wife and i had dinner here on a friday night and had a wonderful meal. it was a fabulous restaurant but, we found a couple of things that we wished were a little different. 
the hostess stand is towards the back of the restaurant, where their al fresco dining is, which is fine, but there is nothing in the front of the house, or in the street that lets you know that. we saw several people trying to figure out how to get into the restaurant, as we were figuring it out ourselves. some signage would be nice at the entrance to let patrons know where to find the hostess. the other issue we had was it is extremely dark, i mean really dark (forgive my picture quality). we had to use our cell phones to read the menu. i like a nice ambiance like the rest of you guys, but this was more like a bat cave, and the candle on the table was a tiny disposable one and was just not enough to read what they were offering. 
that being said, i can say that the dinner was very good. i ate the veal sweetbreads and they were some of the very best i have ever eaten. i took a picture for you all and it was not of the quality i would want to post, due to the lighting. i next chose the seasonal market salad and it needed salt, quite a bit of it. i do not ask for salt in restaurants of this quality, since they frequently do not have it on the table, but it improved it a huge amount. i would say it was so-so before and good after, but not mind blowing. 
what was mind blowing was the beef cheeks! oh man.....these should be on your bucket list! it was a flavor explosion and my wife conceded to me that i out ordered her by a huge amount. the beef melted in my mouth and i ate every bit of it. 
my wife ordered the pot de cream and i am not a huge dessert person, but i easily gobbled down half of her dish. it is rich, with whipped cream on top, but a great texture....somewhere between mousse and cheese cake. 
i would recommend sylvain to anyone that is a foodie, you can find wonderful dishes, and pretty affordable prices, particularly if you are a little adventurous. the salad was the only thing in my meal that was not wonderful. 
the only thing that took points off my rating was just how dark the main dining room was and the aforementioned salad.

the food and drinks here are great! highly recommend the sweat breads-mmmm. cody the gm is wonderful. staff very knowledgable and offered great suggestions.

best patio in the quarter, best burger in new orleans, and sweetest bartender in the south.


-----06 mar, 2012-----

very nice. really enjoyed the food and service. the courtyard is fantastic. the antipasto, brussel sprout salad, and gingerale were all stand outs.

lots of curb appeal, but doesn't deliver the goods. this is one of the rare new french quarter places with a promising looking menu, but is reaching for something that it can't seem to grasp. it really registered with me how much i disliked it when i found out it was the chosen spot for a recent dinner obligation. there's so many classic dishes in new orleans, i can't see exploring the menu at sylvain any more.

the failures are quite heinous, the pappardelle bolognese being the worst offender from thought to execution. they went to the trouble to make a homemade pasta, and can't figure out how to cook it properly without it clumping into gummy blobs, and then there is the flat boring sauce. on my second someone at my table ordered this dish, she swore it was good, but i could see the same lumpy mess that i had tried. given the fact that domenica consistently makes some of the best pasta and sauces known to mankind, the kitchen at sylvain should take a page from their book on quality before getting so ambitious with pasta.

if there's one thing on a menu i can't resist next to pasta with a meaty ragu, it's sweetbreads. sylvain advertises them as buffalo-style, and that's exactly what i got, and their texture was actually delightful. so why am i bitching? because while buffalo wings are an ultimately decadent comfort food, the sauce just isn't suited—think of putting supermarket steak sauce on a properly cooked prime steak—for sophisticated food. in my mind's eye, i see a more subtle take on elements of a buffalo sauce that would work, but that would take some intuition and imagination.

even the nicely cooked beef cheeks on the first visit weren't stellar in the flavor department. the best dish of the first night was my friend's fried chicken sandwich.

to be fair, i love the atmosphere, and was really seduced by the selection on the menu. on my second visit the hamburger seemed to be the best idea because it was half the price of the other main courses. it was nicely cooked, flavorful, and an upside surprise. the cocktails are hit and miss, but there are too many other good places to explore.

total disappointment.... wanted to visit sylvain for quite some time as i was told about the incredible bar service & craft cocktails. couldn't have been more disappointed. rude bartenders & horrible craft cocktails. no care put in to them at all. if the drinks & service are this poor i would never try the sweetbreads (which i would have stayed for...) i will never be back & i will discourage all others form wasting their time. such a huge let down...

our plate of fried eggplant shows up and it’s really interesting. crisp pieces coated in a lemon sauce and sprinkled with? it’s some of the best eggplant i’ve tried, the coating is crisp and light with the eggplant slightly soft making for a delicious appetizer and starter.

very good and creative food options, an interesting wine list, and good service all in a comfortable setting. ingredients are locally sourced and handled well. prices reflect the quality.

tucked away off chartres street near jackson square. must walk to back courtyard to enter. lighting is too dark and music too loud. but this is a decent place for fairly casual meal in the french quarter. the food is not on par with the city's better restaurants but i don't think it pretends to be. this is good, solid food in a place that has a definite new orleans french quarter feel to it.