sylvain

goodfoodwith sophisticated flavors, beautiful ambiance. can be a little weird about the importance of making a reservation. fantastic service. a lovely selection of drinks.

two couples go out to dinner and all but one orders the chick-sil-vain. great sandwich. i ordered the swordfish special and two bites in i realize my fish is completely raw in the middle. the server handled it very well & sent the manager out to apologize. i ordered the pork & beef meatballs to replace my meal. the meatballs come out &the tomato sauce is very hot but the center of the meatball is ice cold! i'm sure they tried to rush the order so i wasn't the only one at the table withoutfoodbut c'mon, guys.. make it right the second time at least. the kitchen sent their condolences with a root beer float. i left hungry & $78 lighter. 4 drinks and a chicken sandwich. :/

i was pretty blown away by how good thefoodwas here. it is a little dark but the music is good. the drinks were great as well. i suggest the hanger steak, beef cheeks, pork cakes and the veal sweetbreads.

this place was recommended by our host we were staying with. it took a while to be seated and was told off for sitting at the bar as we weren't having drinks. anyhow the fish preparation was beautiful! it was nothing like we've ever had and that comes with a lot of thefoodhere in new orleans.

midwest foodie: we’d heard rumors about thefoodat sylvain and had to check it out for ourselves. the owners are from wisconsin, so i knew they took theirfoodseriously, especially the protein side of the menu. i ordered the pan-fried pork shoulder over grits with a mustard ju dribbled over the top. the pork fell apart on your fork, and the grits, while a surprising base in this dish, complemented it well. it was a southern twist on a classic dish, and sylvain executed it to perfection. we also had the scallops and bruschetta, which were on point. the tomatoes and basil on the bruschetta were fresh and tasty, while the scallops proved that sylvain can keep up with other go-to new orleans seafood spots. i give the grub two thumbs up!

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 thefoodand 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.

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 spicyfoodbut 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 greatfoodat reasonable prices . best shaved brussels sprout salad ever . would go back any time.

dinner was great. the ambiance was great and all of ourfoodselections 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.

thefoodand 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 thefoodand service. the courtyard is fantastic. the antipasto, brussel sprout salad, and gingerale were all stand outs.

very good and creativefoodoptions, 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. thefoodis not on par with the city's better restaurants but i don't think it pretends to be. this is good, solidfoodin a place that has a definite new orleans french quarter feel to it.

great food. too "intimate". sylvan has consistently good food, and at prices that are very reasonable for new orleans. having eaten here a half dozen times i can say with certainty that everything my friends and i have ever ordered has been excellent.

the ambience is what some people would call "intimate"; i call it small and crowded. the tables are close together, and the bar is close to the tables, so i always feel crowded and invaded here. but thefood*is* very good.

open late. given that new orleans is a city where one can drink 24/7, it amazes me that it can be hard to find a good meal after 10 pm. we frequently like to eat after some other event (eg- a show at the newly reopened le petite theater) and sylvain's kitchen is open late. i don't generally have super high expectations for the place. thefoodis good, not great. but the drinks are excellent and being able to find a decent meal late is fantastic. and the courtyard is nice if the weather is good.