TLDR
Innovative zero-waste tasting menu in the West Village led by a Top Chef finalist. Features creative, seasonal plates with a unique focus on sustainable fine dining.
Sonal Shah reviews Cynthia, a West Village tasting menu restaurant from Top Chef finalist Sherry Cardoso that attempts to balance a zero-waste, seasonal philosophy with a high-end dining experience.
Details
Spearheaded by a Top Chef finalist, this West Village tasting menu destination focuses on a creative zero-waste mission and seasonality [1]. While the restaurant produces inventive dishes like onion-peel ice cream and corn custard, some diners find the experience disjointed due to a tension between experimental sustainability and luxury service expectations [1]. With a $165 price tag, the menu occasionally struggles with execution on items like tomato courses, leading to mixed overall impressions [1].
Food Overview
The restaurant offers a contemporary tasting menu centered on sustainability, featuring creative highlights like a beautiful bread course and corn-based dishes [1], [2]. However, execution can be inconsistent; guests have noted issues with excessively salty scallops and sometimes disappointing luxury add-ons like wagyu [2], [3].
Reddit Opinions & Reviews
Top Reddit Posts About CYNTHIA
Recent Reddit Mentions
From post: Cynthia Whos Been Surprised It Is Mentioned On
"The diner considered it one of their favorite tasting menus, highlighting deep, unique flavors and excellent service. They felt the restaurant was a perfect reflection of the chef's style, though they found the drinks just average."
PositiveFrom post: Cynthia Whos Been Surprised It Is Mentioned On
"A positive review following a work dinner, noting that the wagyu and cocktails were delicious and the sustainability theme was interesting."
PositiveFrom post: Cynthia Whos Been Surprised It Is Mentioned On
"The diner loved the woman-owned concept and found the food really good, though they suggest purchasing add-ons because of the small portion sizes. They praised the beauty of the bread course and the restaurant's interior."
PositiveFrom post: Cynthia Whos Been Surprised It Is Mentioned On
"The commenter notes that the restaurant has begun offering some dishes a la carte at the bar."
NeutralFrom post: Cynthia Whos Been Surprised It Is Mentioned On
"The commenter mentions the restaurant served Brazilian hot dogs at a street festival, which were excellent, despite the restaurant staff claiming such items wouldn't be served in the restaurant."
Positive