The Sycamore at Chatham Mills — Restaurant in Pittsboro

Our friends gave us a gift card about a year ago, as a "Thank You" gift, because they're cool like that - We wanted to save it for a special occasion, so we chose my husband's Birthday this year -

What a fantabulous experience - from the quick response from the manager, when I emailed to inquire whether there was an expiration date on gift cards (there isn't) to... The Hosts to...

The Atmosphere (excellent surprise that our friend Lindsay Rosebrock was 'tickling the ivories' with the most beautiful music) to...

The Bartender who was as genuinely smooth as the wine - (didn't laugh at my question about the 3 different wine prices by certain wines - even though I've been a bartender off & on for MANY years, I wasn't sure - I thought the middle price was for a half bottle, 😆 but it's for a 9 oz. pour) - didn't find out his name, dangit (we had 9 oz. pours of Folly of the Beast Pinot Noir - SO smooth & delish) to...

Our server, Michelle, who was very knowledgable, friendly, humorous, accommodating - top notch! (When I told her I'd been studying the menu ahead of our visit, meaning, trying to make a choice - see below - she quipped that maybe I could tell her about the menu items - I opted to leave it to her professionalism - she was awesome!) - to...

The Chef/s -The food was spectacular!

I looked at the menu several times online on the days leading up to our reservation - trying to decide amongst the many delectable choices...

Although many who had been to The Sycamore before had advised to get any of the beef items, (due to the specialty of the source, all of the details I can't remember - ask Michelle 🙂- she does) - I kept steering towards Joyce Farms Chicken Breast with Cippolini Onion Compote/Creamy Polenta/Goat Cheese...

Perfectly crisp, yet, tender - perfectly seasoned - the complement of the sweet-ish compote with the creamy polenta & creamy goat cheese - it's a wonder I could eat, due to the smile on my face & the constant "oh my GAWD" between bites - (The wine paired perfectly with both of our dishes, too, by the way)

My husband got the ribeye with a side of mashed potatoes - he wasn't talking much during his meal - As he says when partaking of something he really enjoys : "Can't talk, must chew" 😆 (He gave me a bite of his ribeye, which was as remarkable as it's reputation has it)

(I feel compelled to mention, that I have the heart of a vegan, but the weakness toward the temptation of meat - they do have vegetarian options, which also looked delish - not completely sure if they have vegan options, but I'll bet they do - I got distracted by the other temptations)

To top it all off, when I made our reservation, I let them know in the notes that it was my husband's birthday (in case he ordered dessert) - He opted out of dessert, so Michelle brought a sweet birthday card, signed by the staff, with our check - SO thoughtful!

I've worked in the restaurant business for over 40 years & I want to give a shout-out to all of the staff, who, I know contribute to The Sycamore being a well-oiled machine, without being 'mechanical' about it - that includes the so-dubbed 'back of the house' staff & whomever keeps the place so clean & sparkly - I'm sure ALL are involved...

Now that we've styled & profiled, next time we're gonna go to the lounge for some pool & burgers...

Fine dining in an unsuspecting location. Amazing experience from the warm welcome at the door, all the way through to dessert. I started with the mixed greens salad that has a lot going on in the flavor department, but everything pairs together so well. The apple cider and honey vinaigrette is subtle, not over powering. And the small pieces of apple add a nice sweet and sour surprise, along with the crunch of the candied walnuts. (I had their beef tatare before, too, and it is jam packed with flavor! And it comes with some really nice, buttery, soft toast. Their charcuterie board is noteworthy too. A great variety of cheeses, fruits, and meats) If you've never had ostrich, and you like steak, I cannot recommend it enough. There's no "gamey" flavor at at. Just fire cooked steak, and whatever glaze/sauce that comes with it goes so well with every bite. (I also had their 30 day dry aged ribeye before this, which is exceptional) I don't know what the chef does to the mashed potatoes, but they are incredible. There is a subtle sweetness, and almost a smokey kind of flavor to them. No salt or pepper necessary, and SO creamy! For dessert I had the olive oil cake, which they switch up the style all the time. This one had blood orange slices and reduction, with house made whip cream, and the cilantro paired so incredibly well. Not what I expected at all! The service is great, and they have a piano player in the main dining area, which is cool, and also a pool table in the lounge. I HIGHLY recommend giving this hidden gem a try if you're ever...

The Sycamore has been on our list for sometime and finally made it there to celebrate with the family after the holiday. The restaurant is warm and beautifully decorated and the staff match the vibe. Everyone we encountered (greeter, wait staff, supporting staff) were welcoming and friendly. Our table tried varied options from the menu. We started by splitting the Caesar Salad which was fresh and lightly dressed. We also tried the tartare which was a surprising burst of flavor, one of the best dishes of the night. It comes with three pieces of bread which just isn't enough to enjoy the tartare, our waiter gave us the option to order additional bread which was much needed. I would prefer not to be hit with another charge for additional bread but at least they are up front about it. For mains we had the ostrich, the lamb, the prime tenderloin and the rib steaks. Surprisingly for a steakhouse our absolute unanimous favorites were the ostrich and the lamb. Both were cooked to perfection, tender as could be, and filled with flavor. For sides we did mac n cheese and brussels sprouts. We preferred the brussels over the mac but have to call out the creamed spinach and barley that was paired with the lamb. We would get that as a side next time! Sycamore can be a splurge evening with expensive cuts or you can take it easier on the wallet with samplings from the lounge menu. Either way a fun evening that everyone greatly enjoyed and we will need to plan another visit...