SycamoreSplendid foodEvery dish we had at Sycamore was imaginative, fresh, and absolutely delicious - one of the best meals we've had in years. The chef combined foods in creative ways that brought out all the flavors. The octopus appetizer was outstanding, and the lamb and pork entrees served each meat with several different and terrific preparations.The waitstaff was attentive. The place is small (and because of an odd cooling arrangement, it was cold in the room) but the atmosphere is friendly enough.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Food Find in Boston AreaIf you value delicious food in a warm, comfortable atmosphere, then Sycamore is your place. Located in the heart of Newton Centre, the nouveau French cuisine is not to be missed. From razorback clams to lamb to beignets - -you cannot go wrong. Make sure you make a reservation as it's very hard to get a table spur of the moment - -esp. on weekends!5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMA gem!GREAT dinner with some girlfriends on a Friday night -- we had 7 dishes and each one was *delicious* - I have already recommended to all of my friends and family.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Meal With Amazing ServiceI went to Sycamore with my husband and another couple. The service was totally amazing. Our server was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and made great suggestions when asked. The food was delicious and prepared perfectly. Our only complaint was the noise level. Although we did not need to scream to talk to each other, we did need to raise our voices quite a bit. I highly recommend this suburban gem.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely no complaints.Absolutely no complaints. Everyone was attentive and the food was suberb. Our waiter, Jason, was the real gem at this restaurant though. He was patient, down to earth and knowledgable. He went above and beyond to make sure all our questions were answered. His recommendations were delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed our food discussions with him and will forever consider him our Sycamore waiter of choice.5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstandingWe went to Sycamore for my wife's birthday, and loved it! The food was thoughtful and everything we had was excellent and flavorful. You can tell that they change their menu frequently with thoughtful items. We had the Pork Board for 2 (Pork prepared 4 ways with accompanying sides). From what I hear they also have a "Board" but change the protein. It was wonderful. Small place, so you need reservations but definitely worth the visit.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMBest overall restaurantOur late night dinner at Sycamore was excellent. We arrived little early for our reservation. The staff greeted us with a warm welcome and kindly gave us the drinks menu so we can start enjoying our evening while our table is being prepared. When we moved to our table, everything was clean, simple, efficient and well thought off. Our server was very knowledge about the every part of the menu in detail and gave us great recommendations. The food is simply perfect. Well balanced plate after plate with unique flavor combinations, masterfully put together with elegance. The chorizo balls are definitely too die for so are the smoked chicken sausages, served with the roasted chicken. Overall one of the best meals from start to finish.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the bestThe opening of Sycamore adds another top-flight restaurant to the area. The food was bursting with flavors, beautifully presented, and substantial in portion. The wait staff added immeasurably to the experience - it was as if we were served by the entire staff (and it certainly seems that they like one another quite a lot).
A stellar food experience and we look forward to returning.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMSycamore is a new restaurant,Sycamore is a new restaurant, and the food was outstanding and creative! The acoustics, however were terrible! It was so loud that we couldn't even talk to each other.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMSycamore lived up to the hypeI read a number of reviews about Sycamore. All of which were outstanding. When I finally got a reservation, on a Tuesday night, I wasn't sure it would live up to the reviews. It did. Four of us had appetizers, entrees and shared two deserts. The only disappointing dish was the green salad. Everything else, top notch.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat new Newton spotNewton has recently added some new finds to its eating experience, the food and service experiencce at Sycamore makes it one to have high on your list to visit!!!4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was great but theyThe food was great but they ran out of many of the dishes we were interested in. Dinner was at 8:30 so it was not too late in the evening. But the food was creative and excellent, and the atmossphere was very comfortable and the staff was welcoming.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWelcome additionThis was my third visit to Sycamore and it just keeps getting better everytime I am lucky enough to dine there. The service is friendly and the waitstaff is always well-informed. The food is well-prepared and the menu changes often as far as I can tell. Sycamore is a welcome addition to Newton Centre!4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding! Food: We wereOutstanding!
Food: We were 2 couples (good friends who share) so sampled a number of different dishes. With our drinks, we started with the chourizo croquettas; crispy outside and melt-in-your-mouth creamy inside. A must. We shared a well-balanced salad and the cobia appetizer. The cobia was flavorful, but was not portioned for sharing. The "board" offering (for 2) was lamb. It is prepared in multiple ways and is wonderful. It was more than enough for 2 and is easily worth the price ($65). We also had the rabbit which was prepared perfectly and a swordfish that was among the best I ever had.
Service: Our server (Kasea-hope that is right) was outstanding. She was very knowledgeable and, as a result, very helpful.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMMy boyfriend's birthday wasMy boyfriend's birthday was great and well prepd by the waiting staff considering I booked my reservation online and gave instructions in the writing. The Lamb board was GREAT! We felt very welcomed.. Will definitely recommend this joint to everyone ;).. Thank you4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was superb, fromThe food was superb, from beginning to end. All was elegantly plated and served. How wonderful that Newton Centre has all several fine new restaurants!4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat addition the the burbs!Great service and top notch food. I would have recommended this restaurant if it were in Boston so it is a no brainer in the burbs!4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a fun, new restaurant!What a fun, new restaurant! The service was friendly but informed, i.e. no attitude. The food is excellent, with lots of emphasis on seasonal ingredients put together in lovely combinations. As for the dining room, there are lots of hard surfaces, so I'm sure it's noisy when full. But I look forward to seeing what the chef comes up with in the changing seasons.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMNewton GemKeeps on improving including with interesting wine finds and ever changing menu...staff is diligent and friendly.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMA Gem of a RestaurantI thought the service was outstanding. People try to please and accommodate without being obsequious. I appreciate that. The food was excellent. My only criticism is that the menu is quite limited, especially in this case where the dishes are esoteric, or perhaps, just unusual. I, for example, could never eat rabbit, so if that is on the menu, I would prefer to have more choice in chicken or beef. There was a delicious veggie gratin, and that was fine for me. Possibly one more choice of a basic would be appreciated. The waiter told us that the menu changes completely every few weeks. Here again, there does not seem to be a place for a "favorite." I would definitely return to Sycamore and find the food ambitious and well prepared.4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat foodVery nice food, with some creative touches, but especially well balanced and subtle in flavor elements. I felt a little talked down to about how Sycamore is so dedicated to fresh things, blah blah blah. I had already heard that talk when I asked the waiter if they had a replacement for the fish they ran out of, but I got it again. This was on a Saturday night, so since I know the restaurant business, I know that they have more stuff to serve Sunday night, and it will be one day older, so it was perfectly reasonable to ask "do you have a substitution?" and not get the condescension.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMDefinitely a keeper. MenuDefinitely a keeper. Menu is very different and some in our party felt a little out of their comfort zone, but in the end we were all pleased with our choices (and quite full). The wait staff was extremely knowledgeable and attentive. We will definitely be going back.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother quality option inAnother quality option in the growing list of gourmet-level Newton restaurants for the affluent. There is a lot of creativity in the limited menu, so repeat visits will be just as interesting. Wine selections are pricey, but mediocre, thus the bill ended up higher than it should have.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMClearly the success of TenClearly the success of Ten Tables in JP is evident in this newly opened restaurant by the same team. It was a special evening and the one corner table was perfect. We agreed that it would be a perfect neighborhood place for just a drink at the bar. Reasonably quiet (read low noise) allowing for easy conversation, service was attentive, food was presented well and fun, we had the lamb for two. Without question we will return.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was wonderful and delicious.Food was wonderful and delicious. Waitstaff very attentive.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AM'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky!My Love asked me a question. I looked at him. He asked it again.I looked at him, but this time i LOOKED at him, made a "shooing" motion and pointed at my mouth. Translation:
This was the situation I found myself in earlier tonight, as we took our first few tastes of our first dinner at Sycamore in Newton Centre. WOW. Just Wow.
I'm tempted to leave it at that, because it does sum up the dinner with accuracy.
I've been eating fine food in Boston for 40 years, and I just cannot remember the last time I had ten dishes and had a smile on my face through every one. Chorizo Croquettas,Salt cured Foie gras, Cobia Chermoula, The Daily Board (ours was Lamb, done 4 ways, each w/ a diff starch, sauce, veg4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMImpressiveWent in group that included a professional restaurant reviewer, my equally critical spouse, and a few "normal" folks. Both the food critic and my spouse were thrilled with the experience - the food, the wine, the ambiance, the service - which says volumes.
I'm not sure how readily I would have gone to Sycamore if it hadn't been for Mr. Food as there were only a few, rather unusual entrees on the menu. However, while Mr. Food and my spouse happily shared the duck board, the rest of us each selected a different entree and all of us were thrilled (and happily trying each other's entree). I also felt the service was so good that, no matter what, I would have had a meal I just loved. Thumbs up by all.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMA new "go-to" spotSince opening in mid-December 2012, Sycamore has become a "go-to" spot for anyone living west of Boston who loves food. Sycamore has a short but inventive and always changing menu, with not a single clunker. As we move into Spring it will be interesting to see how the menu evolves with the changing local produce coming available. The front of the house manages to strike a wonderful balance between casual and attentive, and everyone, it seems, is expertly trained on all aspects of the food and wine, a mostly missing attribute in food-suburbia. A small and energetic room means decibel levels can be high, but typically filled with the sounds of appreciative diners.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMBest little find!A new favorite Boston restaurant(it doesn't unseat 80 Thoreau in Concord) but WHAT a WONDERFUL surprise it was the other night at Sycamore! The personal attention started before we even got there, they left a message about an earlier table opening up! Our waiter was perfection! He was knowledgable and gently guided us to complete satisfaction, not that everything wouldn't be amazing. We opted for multiple plates and each were just the right touch, however I keep dreaming of the yogurt panna cotta! I forgot to mention our start with sublime cocktails! And we'll matched wines throughout the dinner. Can't wait to go back, reserve early it's an intimate little place, the bar looks like a nice place to hang and wait tho.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMA well choreographed diningA well choreographed dining experience. Multi layered with professional guidance and service.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall great. It felt aOverall great. It felt a little too crowded, particularly at the bar area/front door. Very drafty as well - would do well to put in a another doorway to protect from the drafty front door. Otherwise excellent food.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGo. The "snacks" we sharedGo. The "snacks" we shared included scrumptious pork rilletes and off-the-charts salt-cured foie gras. My roast pork belly (not always available) melted in my mouth and filled it with umami. Not leaving anything to chance we shared all 5 desserts. The chocolate pot de crème was "stupid", it was so good! A great meal from a great kitchen. It has become my favorite restaurant. Go.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMAn Exceptional mealWe split the duck and it was really, really good. Amazing flavor. Nice selection of wine too.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMA gem of a restaurant!Amazing restaurant-- very friendly and warm service which makes you feel at home!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMDave Punch has a hit, foodDave Punch has a hit, food is awesome, comfortable interior, try it!3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMThe chorizo appetizer andThe chorizo appetizer and the citrus salad was very well prepared and both were tantilizing to the palate. We both had the pan roasted Cod and I can not say enough good things about the dish. WE definitely plan on returning. Outstanding. The servers were very knowledgeable and not very intrusive. A real treat.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a delightful dinnerWe had a delightful dinner at Sycamore and were happy to finally get a reservation! The food was fantastic. We started with the Chorizo snack, then had a wonderful citrus salad and the "duck board". The duck was prepared 4 ways and is enough for two people. It was delicious. Duck Pastrami with a celery root slaw, Moroccan Duck leg, a beautiful duck breast with lentils and a duck confit Our dessert as a lovely light cake with green plumbs and fantastic sorbet. A great bottle of wine to go with it all. Small but comfortable seating. Knowledgeable wait staff and a very friendly atmosphere. It was fun to be someplace special that was not at all stuffy! We were told they keep some open tables at the front if you have no reservation!3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstandingAbsolutely outstanding from the second we walked in to when the door shut behind us. Our server was very attentive and friendly, Chef David came out and spoke with us, every item on the menu sounded delicious and it all lived up to its description. I will definitely be coming back again and again!3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a great time...bothWe had a great time...both the food and service were fantastic.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our first time hereThis was our first time here and it was outstanding. If you like duck the duck board is the way to go. It was an amazing dinner.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMSycamore, a restaurant knows food!We tried Sycamore and just love it. The chicken was flavorful,succulent and juicy. The cod glistened and was also delicious. This restaurant knows what they are doing. We'll be back. Brenda from Boston3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMA great night out!!Every ingredient was special....
Delicious, interesting combinations..... A special night out
Presentation, lovely
Wait staff.... informative
Hats off to Chef Dave Punch!!3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food. Good, localExcellent food. Good, local ingredients prepared impeccably.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and great service.Great food and great service. I love the ambiance and how energetic the restaurant was, even at 11pm! We've had two spectacular meals here and will definitely keep coming back for more!3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMThe menu was a little limiting,The menu was a little limiting, especially if one doesn't eat pork or is a vegetarian.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, but the noiseGreat food, but the noise level is too high to carry on a conversation.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food and service.Excellent food and service. Good value as well. Can not wait to go back3/11/2013 12:00:00 AMSycamore Newton CenterWe had a reservation for 8:45 on a Monday and the place was packed when we arrived. On one side of a partial wall is the bar and a few tables near the door. On the other side are two rows of tables with chairs on one side of the table and leather wall seating on the other. Service was slow but that was okay for us. We shared the duck for I two. Duck is presented four ways and all were excellent. We split a salad that was different and good too. I liked the house red wine. Definitely a place to go back to though it will be competitive for seats.1/1/0001 4:00:00 PMGreat food and great service.Great food and great service. I had heard so many good things about Sycamore and it definitely lived up to the hype. Can't wait to go back.1/1/0001 4:00:00 PM