sylvain

local recommended thisplaceto us!. the atmosphere was amazing and the service was great! i had the pan-fried pork shoulder and pretty much licked the plate clean!! my boyfriend had the gulf shrimp and littleneck clams and loved it as well! would highly recommend thisplaceespecially if you're not trying to go somewhere touristy.

thisplacewas 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 the food here in new orleans.

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!"
thisplaceis 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.

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.

theplaceis 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 . smallplace, quaint and have great food at reasonable prices . best shaved brussels sprout salad ever . would go back any time.

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 decentplacefor 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 aplacethat has a definite new orleans french quarter feel to it.

very disappointed. just went today for the third time. my two previous experiences were outstanding, so i was excited to introduce new friends to it. we arrived at 11:30 a.m. on a saturday to a 75% empty restaurant and were told that the earliest we could be seated was 12:15. no problem, we left our name and went window shopping in the area. we returned at 12:15 and were promptly seated, however we were then ignored for the next 30 minutes. a few waiters passed by and made eye contact, but not even as much as a hello or we'll be with you shortly. as we walked out, i again made eye contact with a waitress who had passed by our table several times. nothing. so, we went to dickie brennan's tableau and were very warmly greeted by attentive friendly staff. had a great meal with an amazing view from the balcony. skip thisplaceand walk a few doors down, you'll thank yourself for doing so.

nervous nelly becomes foodie. let me start out by saying that i am in no way a "foodie." new and "different" foods actually kind of scare me. if my momma didn't cook it at home, i generally assume it will be weird and taste bad. so, when my friend suggested going to sylvain, i checked out the menu and promptly broke into a cold sweat.

beef cheeks?
sweetbreads?
beet bruschetta?

my other concern going in was that i am currently eating paleo/gluten-free. the dishes seemed so "fancy" and "crafted", and each had some item that was a no-no for me, but i thought it might be offensive for me to ask the chef to change one of his dishes to suit me.

shortly after sitting down, my concerns began to diminish and, i'll cut to the chase here: i had a lovely experience and some of the best food i've ever eaten in my life.

before going to sylvain, i did what any nervous nelly would do, i got on line and spent 3 hours reading reviews. among the small amount of negative comments, there were a few common ones: too noisy. arrogant servers. reservation/wait time issues. tasteless or dry food.

my experience was that theplacewas no noisier than most restaurants. the music was just loud enough to kind of hear over the conversations going on in the room. my friend and i were able to hear each other just fine and had a lovely conversation. though the room was packed, we really felt like we had our own little space, very intimate and lovely. we arrived early for our reservation but they sat us anyway and even moved us to a nicer table by the window. the server was very kind. we had lots of questions and he answered them all for us. he was not put off at all when i asked about possible gluten-free substitutions for potatoes/grits/rice. he talked to the chef and came back with a few suggestions.

we ordered the brussel sprout salad and the salad of the night: shaved squash, zucchini and red onion with feta in a red wine vinegar dressing. it was garnished with mint, which totally made the salad for me. my friend wanted that salad and i was leery about uncooked squash...but it was divine! the mint was so unexpected and wonderful and the flavors blended together in the most delicious way. the brussel sprout salad was also very good. there was a touch of lemon in the vinaigrette that was surprising and, again, made the salad.

for our main course, we ordered the beef cheeks and pork shoulder. the chef prepared a sautee of spinach, onion and blackeyed peas for me instead of potatoes. i am not exaggerating when i say that the beef cheeks were the best thing i've ever eaten in my life. from the moment i put my fork through the meat, i was in love. cutting the beef was like cutting a roasted marshmallow. it was unbelievably tender. by itself it was to die for, but with the spinach sautte...well, i just sat there and groaned in delight. didn't miss the potatoes at all.

my friend's pork shoulder was very good as well. but, my favorite thing on her plate were the greens. i don't eat greens. i've tried them a few times and they were always too bitter for me. these greens would convert a veggie hater. seriously, they are that good.

new and different food like this might just turn me into a foodie!

so, the upshot is, don't hesitate to try sylvain. forget the negative comments on here. if those issues did arise, they've clearly addressed them. everything was stellar and i'll definitely be back!!

i have lived in new orleans my entire life and never knew this gem of a restaurant existed! the food was absolutely excellent! and as for the service, it was perfect. not overbearing as some restaurants do, yet my food arrived consistently in a timely manner and my drinks remained full. i cannot say enough about the taste and quality of the food, and i only wish i would have had more room to taste several other menu items i had my eye on. i will most certainly be returning!

for those who have complained about the sweetbreads with hot sauce, and wish it would have been written on the menu... it was. because that is the first thing i noticed. and it was divine! read your menu more carefully next time, as every ingredient is listed as it should be on the menu. for those who have complained of the service and food, you must be very impatient and have a very limited palate- or you just experimented with something you have never eaten. i would suggest you give theplaceanother try and get something that's more along the lines of what you know your eating. because that is one of the best menus i have seen in a while.

amazing!!!!. love love love sylvain! my husband and i travel to nola a lot and we are always looking for a new and differentplaceto eat -- we found it with sylvain. we had the best service and loved our experience. our food was awesome and the drink list was extensive. our waitress was super helpful and laid-back. she gave us just enough attention without making us feel rushed. we sat outside on the patio, which i highly recommend if the weather is nice and you're looking for a romantic dinner.

greatplaceruined by reservations. sylvain had developed into my go toplacefor moderately priced good food and drinks in the quarter. the location is prime and the ambiance ideal for date or festival of friends, but reservation policies have turned this operation ludicrous. i suggest a serious review of these policies by owners and management. this is the french quarter, i understand holding reservations for sean payton,etc., but turning away paying customers, and holding multiple (in excess of 5) open tables for reservations (that can easily be disregarded and or drunkenly missed) is a poor business practice for the area--a turned off local customer, with many years of service industry experience and three of his friends that could have easily been squeezed in creating more turns and profit this weekend.


-----08 oct, 2012-----

greatplaceruined by reservations. sylvain had developed into my go toplacefor moderately priced good food and drinks in the quarter. the location is prime and the ambiance ideal for date or festival of friends, but reservation policies have turned this operation ludicrous. i suggest a serious review of these policies by owners and management. this is the french quarter, i understand holding reservations for sean payton,etc., but turning away paying customers, and holding multiple (in excess of 5) open tables for reservations (that can easily be disregarded and or drunkenly missed) is a poor business practice for the area--a turned off local customer, with many years of service industry experience and three of his friends that could have easily been squeezed in creating more turns and profit this weekend

found thisplaceunder late night eats. had the smashed peas on toast, the pork shoulder and greens and grits, my hubby had a pulled pork sandwich....it was awesome! the old school cocktails with their twist are also just as tasty! we will be back!

love everything about it. the atmosphere is very dim and romantic.. the braised beef cheeks melt in your mouth. my new favoriteplacein the quarter!

enamored!. sick of watered down vodka crans, i've been on a search for the best cocktail in nola. i've hit uncommon, 12 mile limit, cure and loa...they've got nothin' on sylvain. sylvain is aplacefor grown folks who like cocktails...cool, dimly lit, nicely decorated, vintage inspired glassware, house made bitters, hand-squeezed juices, tinctures from eyedropppers, inventive and attentive bartenders.

lucy, our bartender for the evening, invited us to go off-menu and challange her. we gave the parameters - whiskey/bourbon drink with no spices or tequila drink where i can taste the tequila - and received the best cocktails ever! i got a whiskey smash...they put the ice cubes in a fabric bag and pound it with a pestel, put it in a stainless glass, mound the ice on top and pour over the ice. lordy, a whiskey flavored snow cone...official drink of the summer! we also got the beet bruschetta which was suprisingly good and pairs well with the drinks.

finally aplacein the quarter off the tourist path with amazing drinks...i will be back often.

dinner time. thisplaceis very cute and the food is great. had a nice meal with a friend and some nice wine.