SILVIA — Restaurant in Town of Woodstock

We went to Silvia’s last night during a weekend trip to Woodstock. We made a reservation, but we arrived early and ordered drinks at the bar. We cashed out at the bar and then moved to our table when it was ready. Once we arrived at our table, it was at least 12-15 minutes until anyone came by to see if we wanted water (!!!) or to put in an order. By the time the waiter came, we had decided on our food order, but the waiter was a bit snippy and told us he couldn’t take our food order until he gave us water. Okay, no big deal.

The food came out hot and fresh, and absolutely DELICIOUS. We got the wood fired pita with whipped honey butter (WOW), the five leaf salad, the mushroom pasta, and the chicken schnitzel. Everything was absolutely incredible.

Again, it took our waiter a very long time to come back to check on us, and when he did, we asked for the bill. He told us he couldn’t bring our bill until he cleared the plates (could have been done sooner, but what I do know). When he brought us the check, it had 3 (random) drinks on the bill, none of which were the ones we had ordered at the bar (which we already paid for) and there were 3 drinks (there were 3 of us, but only 2 of us had gotten drinks at the bar). When I pointed this out to the waiter and also tried to show him that not only had we already paid, but the quantity of drinks we were being double-billed for was wrong AND they were the wrong drinks altogether, he grabbed the receipt out of my hands and said, “okay, okay, the bar transferred them over, I’ll go check on it.” The waiter then went to the table next to ours and loudly commented on how difficult certain people are, and made a big deal of telling them how much he enjoyed working with their table. Huh? We were confused.

It seemed like we were off on the wrong foot with the water from the very beginning, but we were always nothing but polite and patient. Yes, when he came to us initially we asked to put everything in at once, but he a) left us hanging for a long time, so it seemed like a “now-or-never” situation, and b) when has a waiter ever been frustrated with people being efficient? As for pointing out that they were trying to double-charge us for random drinks different than the ones we had already bought and paid for, we were still polite and patient, though, to be honest, that was very bizarre and is not something that should ever happen, and definitely not at a restaurant of that caliber.

Overall, the food was incredible, but the experience was definitely marred by the weirdly unfriendly, inefficient, and outright lack of professionalism from the waiter...

In the heart of Woodstock, Silvia unfurls a canvas of culinary elegance, stitching a tapestry that meticulously weaves contemporary aesthetics with American gastronomy's vibrant threads.

The evening's overture is marked by wood-fired pita, a symphonic fusion of warmth and subtle smokiness, establishing an anticipatory atmosphere of the feast to unfold. The Asian-style chili Brussels sprouts deliver a striking, piquant performance, each bite encapsulating a burst of zest, seamlessly juxtaposed with the comforting, earthy timbre of fried potatoes.

The gastronomic concerto progresses with the wood-smoked pork chops, a masterpiece embodying the essence of meticulous smoking techniques, presenting a profile tender to the fork and redolent with the whispers of charred wood. The trout, executed with precision to a well-done finale, maintains a delicate, flaky consistency, singing a subtle, yet harmonious melody. Not to be overshadowed, the smoked and brined chicken is a paean of flavors, a careful amalgamation of salting and smoking crafts, yielding a product resonating with moisture and savoriness.

As the culinary symphony approaches its denouement, the pear olive cake takes center stage with an unexpected duet of sweet and savory notes, crafting a crescendo of delightful and nuanced flavors. The evening's coda is marked by a robust cappuccino, its frothy, creamy texture enveloping the palate, drawing the curtain on the dining spectacle with warmth and finesse.

Interwoven into the evening’s tapestry are cocktails of exquisite craft, each concoction a sonnet of balanced flavors and aesthetic delight, adding layers of complexity and joy to the overall narrative.

While the service navigates the evening with knowledgeable guidance and attentive choreography, the finale is slightly marred by a prolonged wait for the check, introducing a discordant note to an otherwise harmonious experience.

Silvia paints a compelling portrait of culinary finesse in Woodstock, with each dish contributing to a vibrant tableau of taste and presentation. Despite a minor lapse in service tempo, the restaurant confidently asserts itself as a bastion of sophisticated, contemporary American dining, worthy of both local and visiting palates seeking a refined,...

Over rated and buyer beware.

1. Host? ( hopefully not the manager) claimed we didn’t have a reservation and condescendingly implied we had lost our marbles and probably made our reservation at some other restaurant. When we found proof of our online “Resy” reservation magically he found our reservation in his system under a different last name (not possible using the Resy system) He never apologized and he tried to seat us at a terrible table in the dark dingy bar area.When we refused that table suddenly they found a decent table for us. Maybe they sensed we were ready to walk out. The whole thing did not add up and felt like we were being scammed. End game ? to fill up the ugly bar area and save the dining room tables for bigger parties? “Coincidentally” we over heard him trying to convince someone on the phone that their reservation was actually for the previous night but he would do his best to get them a good table…. Bet they got seated in the dingy bar area, too.
2. Steak on dinner menu is not as listed online….it’s now “market priced” ….at $90.00 (our theory is it’s market priced based on what kind of cars are parked on the side street next to the restaurant …” market priced” meaning how much will the customer pay? Really, who “market prices” a steak ? It’s not a seasonal product.)
3. Food was okay but everything had a Woodstock signature… one ingredient that is trendy but not necessarily a good fit… one of us is a CIA chef and the other a Registered Dietitian/ Nutritionist… so we know food. We know the difference between the advertised pickled broccolini ( advertised on pork chop dish) and the sloppy broccoli rabe subbed for it. Overpriced for what was served. Be sure to check out the prices of the bottles of wine online before ordering. The mark up is pretty amazing.
4. Service was good and hoping that our server didn’t have to share her tip with that host (?)

Bottom Line: Not a 4 or 5 star restaurant despite the good reviews. It’s a three star restaurant. It’s not “ all that and a bag of chips” like it pretends to be and trying to “get over” on customers taints the whole experience. P.S. American Express ( owner of Resy online system) is currently investigating how our reservation...