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No Room @ Sirene? Ask for Taureau Sister Bistro: Steak and Cheese Fondues, 212-228-2222 ( BYO)
Spring St-6th Ave (C, E)
Canal-Varick Sts (1)
Canal-Church Sts (A, C, E)
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 10:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11:30 pm
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At first glance, there's nothing striking about the facade of La Sirene. The building looks pretty plain and the interior is very cozy with about a dozen tables. But it's one of the best dining experiences you can have in NYC. The staff is French and delivers good service. Everyone in the restaurant seems to be happy, enjoying their parties' company and the amazing food that this place serves up. It's BYOB and most people appear to bring it (which probably also enhances the experience!). You're not rushed through you're meal and the environment is so warm and relaxing that you won't want to leave.
For appetizers, the goat cheese tart is one of their signature dishes and is absolutely amazing, bursting with really great flavor. Also, if you like escargot, the dish is marinated perfectly with butter and garlic and the remaining "sauce" is great for dipping bread. For the main course, you can't go wrong with the filet mignon with foie gras. It's definitely not the healthiest thing in the world but the taste is amazing and the meat just melts in your mouth. You've got to try it to really understand how good it is! Also, the duck breast with the cherry-port sauce is a really great dish. The flavors combine so well and the meat is cooked perfectly with no bones to worry about. Duck is one of those things that can be really bad when screwed up, but this restaurant really knows how to prepare the duck! Finally, I don't think there are any bad choices for dessert. I really like the profiteroles though and it's a great dish for sharing because it's huge! And the rum cake is really good, too!
Everyone I went with leave feeling completely full but happy. We even got a seal of approval from the former Paris resident who dined with us!
I made a reservation for 7:30 pm on a Tuesday night and this place was already packed when I went in. It's a very small place, maybe a total of a 8 tables or so. So it's best to make a reservation.
The service was very friendly and fast. For appetizers, we got the escargot - nothing too special but the sauce it came with is good for dipping bread. But the goat cheese tartlette was soo savory and combined with the salad on the side, it was perfection. It was a wee bit too salty but my friend thought it was just right.
For entrees
the hangar steak - cooked just right and I think they put a lot of parsley on top but it tasted really good.
The duck - i LOVED this dish. It was a good portion and the sauce is ridiculously good. I wish I was eating it right now for lunch!
These come with a side of 4 vegetables that are mashed up like baby food. There was 2 slices of pineapple, mashed potato, carrots and cauliflowers. I stayed away from the cauliflower, that was weird.
I can't help but share my experience with others about how fantastic this cozy little restaurant is. Introducing my friends to this place has definitely struck up a bonding between us like never before. When food is this delicious, it makes everyone happy, comfortable and get a little closer.
Before the first time I dined here, I had read about how wonderful the food is through Yelp. It was a little difficult to convince my friends to dine here with me because the menu looks so traditional in a city of wonky and trendy food that people tend to go after. After having been here a few times, it just goes to show that while it's fun 'n all to try scientific gastronomy or trendy food, you will always go back to a place that feels like home where your tummy is happy.
I haven't tried everything yet, but so far, I have not tried anything that isn't superb.
My favorites: Escargots in garlic and butter sauce, I imagine myself eating this in the presence of no one and licking the artist palette plate clean of all it's butter and garlic sauce. Moules marinieres, the mussels are cooked perfectly. Every time I pick one up, I fill the side of the shell with the mussel in it with sauce and drink the whole thing up. When there are no more mussels left, the sauce makes your eyes do this (@) (@) when you think about how excellent it would be soaked up in bread. Goat cheese tartelette, sea shephard's pie, the French cassoulet and the one thing I can't leave here without - the seared hanger steak. In fact, I don't think anyone should leave this earth without trying these dishes.
It's a modest French restaurant with flavors you won't forget. I wonder what kind of butter they… Read more »
We went here for our first year anniversary together. The first and only time I've had French food was 13 years ago, while I was in France. This was the first time outside of a croissant or two that I was eating French food in NYC.
We ordered the roasted beet salad and soft shell crab as appetizers. I enjoyed the beet salad but thought that the crab tasted more Italian than anything else. I ordered the roasted lamb and my boyfriend ordered the veal. I enjoyed the lamb and the succulent sauce. There was potato au gratin and sides of pureed carrot, cauliflower. There was also a green squash, which I thought was tasty. My boyfriend didn't enjoy his veal very much.
Normally, if one of us doesn't enjoy a meal, it automatically means one less star. Well, the service made up for it. The maitre'd thanked him for being honest and truthful and replaced his meal with filet mignon, which was very delicious. She was very attentive and we both appreciated the great service.
I ordered a rum infused cake and my boyfriend ordered a custard with caramelized sugar on top. Both were good, but we both agreed that the rum cake was scrumptious!
It's BYOB, but the waitress was courteous and chilled our white wine and poured it for us. It's a quaint little place, but actually reminded me of a restaurant I had been to in Paris several years ago. Parking was easy (right outside the restaurant) on a Sunday evening and is right near the Holland Tunnel. So it was easy to zip back to Jersey!
Thanks Sirene for a memorable anniversary. We will definitely be back!
Listed in: Best Restaurants
I had a really great time at La Sirene. However, let me start off by saying that the entrees are definitely overpriced compared to similar restaurants in the EV, e.g., 26 Seats, Lucien, etc.. That said, it evens out when you factor in the BYOB.
My fiance and I started off with the escargot and the goat cheese tart. The escargot is served in the shell, which I've found to be rare in NYC. It was awesome! I think it was the best escargot I've had in this city. The goat cheese tart was also very, very good. I'm not biggest goat cheese fan, but my fiance was in heaven.
For entrees, I had the duck breast in a cherry, port and wine sauce. This was awesome. It's not the best I've ever had, but it sure was up there. (The best I've had is at 26 seats in their raspberry reduction sauce). My fiance had the filet mignon with foie gras. He absolutely loved it. I thought it was delicious too, but I liked mine better.
We ordered the profiteroles for dessert. It was very big and definitely enough for two people. I'm not a big fan of profiteroles so I was just kind of "ehh." But my fiance was in love.
Not sure what I can add that hasn't already been said. The food is fantastic at this cozy little BYOB, the prices are very affordable, our server was friendly and attentive, the portions are very filling (sadly we had no room left for desert!).. we just had a wonderful meal and a great time here.
Days later I am still dreaming about having another goat cheese tart. I cannot recommend this appetizer enough, it is one of the more memorable dishes I've had recently. I also braved the Cassoulet, which despite the warning of "GREASY!" on the menu wasn't overly greasy. The Cassoulet seemed to get better and more flavorful with each bite until I was completely full and trying my best to find a bit more room for just one more bite.
We will be hurrying back to La Sirene before long, I can promise that.
Full review + pics: http://foodcomas.wordp...
4.5 stars will round up!
This adorable BYOB bistro boasts a warm ambiance with affable service and incredibly delicious French comfort food. Loved the Escargots with the butter and garlic sauce, goat cheese tart is a must, filet mignon with foie gras served with a super rich red wine and port and truffle sauce, seared duck breast with cherry and port and red wine sauce was super moist and tender, and Profiteroles for dessert (puff pastry filled with ice cream and smothered in chocolate sauce). Must try seafood dishes next time!
There are bistros and then there are bistros. Let me tell you, there are tons of great restaurants in NYC but this, hands down, must be one of the greatest I have had the pleasure to enjoy.
La Sirène is small, and very stringent with its reservation policy. I had dinner at 6pm, right before the crowds, and it definitely was about to fill up by the time we left. You really do need to make a reservation.
I went here on a date, and my girlfriend being a devout foodie like myself wanted to split an appetizer. On second thought, I'm glad I didn't. Why? The food is EXTENSIVE. I ordered the Kassoulet, a sort of bean, bacon, sausage, and duck leg casserole in some sort of greasy sauce. I could have ordered a Shephard's pie or any other dish. But the description of the dish being designed for warriors kind of made my decision easy ;)
It was pretty darn greasy. But you know what? IT WORKED. The beans tasted of delicious bacon, the sausage was cooked to perfection, the sides had just the right amount of flavor. Such a... "brute" dish was prepared so elegantly. My girlfriend enjoyed the veal with an apple and caramelized onion sauce and it too was prepared delicately with just the right amount of flavor. As a slight comment to the Chef I think the presentation would benefit from more but smaller "veal rolls" so it doesn't dismember itself when you're trying to make it into a bite sized piece.
But that was all wonderful. Sad thing is, the meal seemed like rubbish compared to the dessert we had. And mind you, I thought the meal was absolutely fantastic. You see, the profiteroles at La Sirène are worth a flight to NYC. On the menu they claim that the sauce was changed a while back due to customer complaint. I'm guessing people preferred a very sweet chocolate. But no... the sauce was nice bittersweet chocolate that literally left us moaning.
Together the bill came to around $77 (for both of us) which is actually not bad at all considering the incredible quality of the meal. Now I'm excited to try the Chef's new fondue restaurant.
Part of me was angry that I've worked so close to La Sirene for well over a year and never heard of this adorable downtown restaurant, and the other part of me was happy for its exclusive nature. I've been tasting NY Magazine's list of top 50 soups in the city, and I have to say that not only was I horrified that the French Onion Soup from La Sirene wasn't on the list after trying it, but that the FOS that is on the list was no better than that of a diner.
La Sirene was a fantastic dining experience, and the soupe a l'Oignon Gratinee was better than any I've ever had before. The cheese was its shining star, and if I could start a petition to get this one onto the list over the one served at Artisanal, I would. In some instances, you can taste when food has been given attention. This soup is one of them.
I've documented a more detailed version of my experience on my blog dedicated to NYC soups: http://soupsnob.wordpr...
Thanks!
A pretty restaurant with great staff and very tasty food, but I'm going to be gauche and mention that I left the restaurant hungry. An appetizer, entree and shared dessert was not enough, because the entrees were small, except for the baked sea shepherd pie. The fish came with just a dollop of rice, and the accompanying "Tray Of 4 Vegetables" was for the entire table. A great evening otherwise.
Consider your needs before going.
Bottom Line: Come here for no-frills, perfectly cooked French.
I was here for dinner with a friend a few weeks ago and we both left feeling extremely satisfied.
Ambiance: Small, intimate space. The place is very casual but still feels cool.
Food: We ordered the gilled calamari, moules mariniere, duck, shepard's pie and the ile flotant for dessert. Everything was really delicious but our favorites were both the appetizers and the duck. The only thing that fell a little short for us was the dessert - while it wasn't bad, it just wasn't quite up to par with the rest of the meal.
Service: Very friendly and down to earth.
Other Notes: BYOB and cash only!
How overrated can a place get...?
Definitely not the best and to be honest, no where near the best.
We were the first to arrive (and the only people for at least a half hour) and they were hesitant to seat us.
Within an hour and a half, it got really packed.
I ordered the cucumber salad, which was one of the day's specials and oh my goodness I've never gotten anything so disgusting in my life. Literally, they must have shaved 3 small cukes, tossed them around a vat of mayo, dumped it on a plate, cut up 1 olive to put on the edge and served it to me. It was gross. We tried it on a piece of bread and it was still gross.
The mussels are what called us to give it a try and it was not spectacular as the reviews made it out to be. I've had better at Landmarc.
The place packed so many tables so close together that there were many spills, breakages, and accidents. A lady knocked her champagne flute to the ground while reaching for some food and a man at a different table spilled his water- both times breaking the glassware.
I've never seen this at a restaurant before.
Both times there were no other customers nearby so it can't be blamed on being pushed or whatnot. I think people were feeling claustrophobic in there!
We quickly scarfed down our dessert (profiteroles- again, not so great) and got the heck out of there.
This place was absolutely perfect. The food was phenomenal. The ambiance was excellent. The service was attentive, friendly and unpretentious.
I ordered 3 courses but ate mostly everything on the menu with my party of 6. I started with the Onion Soup au Gratin which was the best I have had in years. The quality of the gruyere was definitely a standout and the broth was both smoky and sweet--just how it should be! I then got the skatefish signature dish with a provencal topping and a potato gratin which was very very good. For desert we shared the profiteroles with the callebaut chocolate--WOW!
The mussels were excellent, the goat cheese tart was probably the best dish I had there. For 6 people it ended up being about $300 but totally worth it. Bring a couple nice bottles of wine, they will put them on ice for you or open them...great place.
I feel like the BYOB policy has inflated the reviews here.
The food was okay, but not amazing. I remember that we shared the goat cheese tart, some sort of a red meat (veal?) stew, and the lamb dish. The stew was incredibly oversalted to the point where I didn't even want to eat it past the 3rd or 4th bite. The goat cheese/truffle tart was good, but totally overpriced (about $17).
I also didn't find the service that friendly. I'm not sure if it was just me.
While the place is cute and quaint and the BYOB policy is very attractive, I probably would prefer to spend my money elsewhere.
Wonderful food, not too expensive, and cozy, intimate atmosphere.
This place is great! Came here with a group of girls for Restaurant Week during winter and the food was sooo good. (Actually, now that I think about it, maybe we didn't do Restaurant Week). We chose it because it was BYOB.
The restaurant is really small and we had to get the 10pm reservation for dinner, but it was totally worth it.
Cash only. and a little out of the way - but so good!
Everything positive that has been said about this place is true.
I've been meaning to try La Sirene since earlier this year when the crazy good reviews on Yelp initally caught my eye. I finally got to try it tonight with my boyfriend, and wow!
At first, we weren't completely sure how La Sirene would meet our (read: my) expectations. There was a big birthday party seated right next to us, so the ambience was pretty loud for such a tiny place. That wasn't such a big deal since it's kinda the luck of the draw, but then our server broke the cork on our fine bottle of wine. She was super apologetic but our first glass had bits of cork floating in it and we had to fish them out and it still tasted funny. Not the smoothest start to our dinner!
But all doubts were forgotten when our goat cheese tart arrived. The goat cheese tart alone is rich without being cloying, but what really balanced it out was the cold salad on the side. That is what elevated the dish from being very good to excellent.
Following Yelp reviewers' suggestions, I ordered the hanger steak and my boyfriend got the filet mignon with foie gras. OMG. The hanger steak doesn't sound so impressive because it is so simple, but it really is SO GOOD. No regrets at all. Every perfectly cooked piece of steak exploded with wonderful garlicky flavor in my mouth. I also loved that it was already cut into pieces. I love just being able to spear my food without having to cut it!
My boyfriend's filet mignon - okay, let me just put it this way: the look he had upon his first bite, I have NEVER seen it before, it was that orgasmic. He seemed more annoyed than I was with the whole cork incident but I'm pretty sure that filet mignon wiped his memory of it. I don't think he was even able to speak any comprehensible language with his first few bites. It was that good.
We finished this incredible meal with the legendary profiteroles. I almost LOL'd when I saw it on the menu because it echoed Frank Bruni's NYT review ("it's not Hershey's!"). Mr. P, thank goodness it's not Hershey's! What a wonderful balance of the bittersweet chocolate with the vanilla ice cream!
The icing on the cake? NO CORKAGE FEE. When we got the bill, it was a very reasonable $98 pre-tip.
We are already wondering when we will be back to try the mussels. And now I am curious to try Taureau!
Summary: They do their signature dishes Really Well, and everything else, Eh.
By Really Well, I mean our entrees were DELICIOUS.
I had the "Roasted Lamb Leg, Sliced With White Wine Crème de Garlic Confit" with the lamb cooked medium to well, and my mother had the "Aile de Raie Charlotte" (Pan Seared Skate fish With Mango, Caper Non Pareilles, Lime). (Yes I just copy-pasted from their website).
The capers-and-mango-salsa-type of dressing on her fish was AMAZING. A little bit of tang with the mango and lime, balanced out by the full aromatic flavor of the capers and whatever else was in that sauce. It was very much a spring/summer dish. My lamb was perfectly seared, and juicy, and I couldn't get enough of the flavor. I can't even begin to describe it.
Each entree came with a slice of potato au gratin, which was pretty good, and each table came with a side of veggies.
As for the veggies: 2 out of 4 veggie items are mashed up like babyfood (the babyfood version of cauliflower, and the babyfood version of ..carrots I think?)...Not so great. The 3rd item was actually grilled pineapple, which was tasty enough, and the last item was sliced cucumber and tomatoes. This last one was, obviously, the tastiest (although compared with cauliflower-as-babyfood I'm not sure that's saying much).
We also ordered their special dessert, which was sabayon (zablaiogne). It is essentially a very very light whipped custard that is made with some wine and traditionally served with figs, although at La Sirene it was served with an assortment of fruits (figs, mango, pear, etc). Neither of us were crazy about it. It was too watery, the fruit pieces were just sort of mixed in and didn't go well with the strong flavor of the wine. Kind of disappointing since it was the "special" on the dessert menu that day.
All in all, our bill came out to a little over $80 including tip. Though the dessert fell flat, and the veggie side was a little strange, my mouth still waters when I think about that seared lamb leg and the capers/mango sauce on that fish. I'm giving 3-stars because it wasn't the whole package, but I wish I could give 3.5 because the entrees really were amazing.
Go for the entrees, and then share a pint of Haagen-Daaz afterward.
I've now been here twice, and I think the first experience was definitely better than the most recent one, not to say that this most recent one wasn't good, but it wasn't great. I started with the curried mussels which were good, but they were quite heavy and surprisingly filling. My previous time, I tried the mussels in the white wine sauce, which were definitely better, and much lighter. For dinner I had the skate, which was good, but there were WAY too many capers on the fish, which sort of ruined the flavor. For dessert, we shared the profiterals, which were just as good as I remembered them being, mmm!
The nice thing about this restaurant is that it is a BYO, which is rare in NYC, and can keep the cost down considerably, but do remember that it is a CASH ONLY restaurant, so make sure you hit up the ATM before coming to dinner.
To be fair, it was a million degrees. One of those NY days where you feel like you are sitting on the sun. So, it was really hot in La Sirene. Our food was good, we brought lovely wine, but it felt like we were still too close to the center of the universe without enough a/c. I'm not sure that it was so stellar that I would call it one of my best meals in the city, but it was good.
(Cash only - don't forget)
Thanks for bringing good french cuisine to New York City.
Tournedos rossini is excellent (filet with foie gras)
profiteroles are evil good
Didier is very friendly and opened another restaurant "Taureau" of fondue. he cares about his customers and especially about reviews on Yelp. Therefore, if you are not happy about something: say it here, he will read...
small restaurant
BYOB
smell butter (air is needed)
slightly expensive but you pay the know-how of french cook.
Really Good food. We had the goat cheese tart and it was fantastic. Our main entrees were also great.. Small little cozy place and its BYOB which i loved. Highly recommend it!!
4.5 stars
It seriously smells like butter in here. Not like butter at a bakery, but butter fried in a pan... which I don't have ANY problems with. I tried the mussels in red sauce (delicious), salad, lamb, and the chocolate profiteroles. Seriously stuffed and ready to sleep after that meal! The dessert was especially amazing.
There is only room for about 25 people so I saw many people getting turned away since they did not make reservations.
The servers are super friendly. It definitely did feel like I was in a small and cozy restaurant in France.
Had an amazing... I mean AMAZING meal here last Thursday.
Between the 2 of us, we had: escargot, steak tartar (special), filet with foie pate, and kassulet. The entrees come with an unlimited side of veggies (carrot puree, cauliflower puree, grilled squash & grilled pineapple). Everything was excellent and I seriously couldn't get enough of the cauliflower puree.
This place is BYOB - no corkage, no limit. Bring however many bottles of whatever you want. How awesome is that? With that kind of savings... you can afford to splurge on the $30 something entrees.
Service was on point. The 2 servers that ran this tiny restaurant were personable, efficient, and super attentive.
Love this place.
I really wanted to like La Sirene.
Maybe it was because we chose the prix fixe meal, but I was really unimpressed by the food. Appetizers were the French onion soup (just OK) and a green salad vinaigrette, which was huge, bland, and underdressed -- and I don't even like salad dressing.
We each ordered the same entree, the seafood version of shepherd's pie, because none of the others sounded appealing. There was fish in there somewhere, I guess, along with a few carrots stranded in the pureed potatoes, and a topping of melted cheese that was burnt black around the edges.
Dessert was raspberry sorbet and vanilla ice cream (the only choices on the prix fixe are sorbet or ice cream). The sorbet was fine, but the vanilla ice cream lacked vanilla flavor and the texture was icy and hard, not creamy at all.
The service was very friendly and good, both on the phone and in the restaurant. The ambience is nondescript (it's a tiny restaurant, but they could do a lot more with the decor).
It's too bad that the quality of the food doesn't measure up to the fine service, which is lacking in so many other NYC restaurants. Sad to say, won't be going back.
EDIT AFTER SEEING RESTAURANT'S RESPONSE: I have never asked for my money back at a restaurant. I couldn't imagine doing that. I'm not sure why the prix fixe meal should be of poorer quality than the rest of the menu. I would take quality over quantity for the price.
J'TAIME, LA SIRENE!
MUST ORDER:
(1) Tartelette de Chevre Frais aux Echalottes, Truffes, Raisins Confit et Voile de Vieux Gruyere - Insanely good and probably the best appetizer on the menu! Oozing goat cheese on top of flaky dough? Hook it up.
(2) Escargots a la Bourguignone - Juicy little suckers. Lots of flavor and lots of love.
(3) Moules Marinieres (steamed mussels) - Huge mussels (HA!) with a pleasant flavor combination of white wine and fresh rosemary.
(4) Onglet Poêlé à la Facon Luchonaise (hangar steak) - Very good. Perfectly cooked and perfectly flavored with the roasted garlic and parsley sauce.
(5) Cannele Bordelais au Mascarpone et Senteur d' Amandes (rum cake and almond flavored mascarpone) - Perfect ending to a good meal, not too overbearing or sweet. Very tasty with the mascarpone sauce. Delicious and small.
Our waitress was super sweet. She left me three messages to confirm my dinner reservations but I am horrible with messages and never responded. She was persistent and made sure we actually had the opportunity to dine here by calling me again and again. Love her.
NO CORKAGE FEE. Very nice.
CASH ONLY, so be prepared.
Yes it's TINY, but it's a French bistro, what do you expect?
A lovely dining experience.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND the goat cheese tart and hangar steak.
Listed in: 72-HOUR TRIP: NEW YORK!
I love the profiteroles!!!! The fat kid inside of me ate two of the three. Loved!
Great little neighborhood find. The dining area is tiny but to me it makes it charming and so adorable. We brought our own bottle of wine because it's byob. We really had no idea what to expect from this little place. Our server was perfect she coached us through the menu and we of course horrendously over ordered.
I remember two things that we ate and both were stars. Before I tell you what they were we had loads of food before hand a salad and mussels and other menu items and they were are really good. I simply can't remember them because the Tournedos Rossini and the Profiterols were the last two things we had before calling it a night and the were fantasmo!!!
Only tiny downside was the noise. On a Friday night the place was jammed and it's a small dinning room able to seat 25. So I can't give them a hard time but let's just say it was full of those girls who talk really loud and have those horrible voices and think that the louder they talk the better chance they have of the male species noticing them. Simple fix - put up some tapestries on the wall it will for sure quiet those broads down.
If I wasn't so worried about it being bikini season I would eat here weekly!! Don't fret La Sirene when winter comes (and I can easily hide the big ass I will surely get from eating the profiteroles) I promise it's on like donkey kong.
La Sirene until the cold weather comes I will miss you but promise to think of you often. Until the cold weather arrives take care and please whatever you do don't get rid of the profiteroles.
Came here when the place had less than 100 reviews now I gotta call like a week in advance...word spreads I guess...anyways I love this place and yea I still dream of that goat cheese tart next time i go thats all I'm gonna order.
Delicious french food and friendly service without the attitude.
Plan ahead, reservations very difficult to get, unless you're willing to eat at 5pm. BYOB.
Great prix fix 3 course menu Sunday - Thursday. My friend and I both got it. The pate was good but I am not a fan of liver so wasn't my favorite. The mussels were delicious, fresh and huge. Curry flavor is the chef's favorite for a reason; it's delicious
The sorbet was a dream. I got the raspberry, which was very sweet and had a perfect texture.
C'est magnific.
If there were half ratings I would give this place a 4.5. Damn good food and good service.
This place is super small but cozy and you could smell all kinds of yummy goodness from the tiny kitchen nearby.
What I ordered:
Goat cheese tart with truffles: Freakin love goat cheese!!! So warm, so soft, so gooood.
A seafood Shepard's Pie: Fish mixed with white wine, curry, and cream thats topped with mash potatoes and bread crumbs. Great texture and flavor but not as good as the Filet Mignon.
Filet Mignon Over Bread Toasted With Foie Gras: AMAZING! This sauce drenched tender chunk of meaty goodness was the highlight of my evening. I even used the dinner bread to scoop up the remaining sauce on the plate!
Entrees came with veggie sides on a separate plate, including pureed carrots and cauliflower, grilled pineapples, and chayote. You can ask for more too without charge!
Dessert:
Big Profiteroles au "Bittersweet" Chocolat:
Vanilla ice cream placed between what i think was Choux Puff Pastry that was covered in not just any chocolate but Callebaut. To be honest, this dessert was the least favorite part of the whole experience. The Choux was ok and the vanilla ice cream tasted like it was freezer burned, but what made up for the two components lacking was the chocolate. The chocolate was THAT good. But next time I think I'll try the Meringue instead.
oh yea, and BYOB without cork fee is a hell yes! I am def coming back!
Wow. The food in this restaurant is incredible. A friend was visiting NY for work and we had been picking restaurants for her to try. French food is something that she doesn't get much of where she's from, and we actually turned to Yelp to help us find a French restaurant. Well, friends and fans, the ratings this establishment received from Yelp do not lie. We're talking 288 reviews (at the time of this posting) and 4.5 stars. That's one of the best ratings I've seen and La Sirene deserves every bit of praise that's been heaped upon it.
This place is very nondescript from the outside and you will very much miss it unless you were looking for it. It was a weekday and we had made a reservation just in case. Good thing, too, because it was full despite the fact that it was 7pm on a Wednesday. One thing you will need to know is that this establishment is BYOB, so my friend and I picked up a bottle of red on the way. Walking into the restaurant, you would notice that every table of patrons did indeed bring their own wine.
We were sat quickly at a table and the waitress immediately opened our wine for us and poured each of us a glass. While browsing through their menu, our nostrils could not help but be pleasantly accosted by the wonderful aroma that was coming from the kitchen because the space is very small and we sat close to the kitchen. It took me about a minute of glancing at the appetiser menu to decide that I wanted to have the escargots. I love it and it had been much too long since I've had it. It took me a while longer to decide on the main course, however. I'm always in the mood for steak, but it seemed kind of boring. I almost decided on the Onglet Poêlé à la Facon Luchonaise, which is a hangar steak, but in the end I went with a much more complicated-sounding dish that I've never had before, the Kassulet Toulousain. In the words of the menu, it is a French Cassoulet Toulouse's Style, with cannellini beans, tomato, garlic duck confit, slab bacon and pork sausage all braised with noble duck fat. The menu also added that the dish was "created for warriors to defend the city". Since I am obviously a warrior that often defends the city, this dish was a fitting choice.
The escargots were every bit the garlicky-goodness that you could expect. Tender and greasy, it would be difficult for me to pick another appetiser when I go back to La Sirene again. The Kassulet Toulousain was a monster of a casserole with all the ingredients listed above being mixed inside. One bite and you could tell that this was comfort food for warriors. All the ingredients tasted great, and more importantly, tasted great together. You gotta give it to the French, they do duck right. I finished the entire dish despite the relatively big portion. The waitress was impressed by that and called me a warrior.
For dessert, I ordered the Iles Flotantes, and vanilla custard with meringue, caramel and almonds. This, too, was superb. It's so easy to mess up a custard by making the top either too crusty or not crusty enough, but they had it just right.
Five stars. I will be going back again, and again, and again. And it's an excellent restaurant for a date.
It wasn't meant to be, and we both knew it.
There wasn't anything left for me to do but take Lancelot to the SoHole I'd long saved (for marriage, ostensibly), and treat him to appetizers and apologies; La Sirene's skate, and my tears. We sat down to reckon, myself tentative but already half-resigned to . . . fine, pine.
But first, the (heart-) breaking of bread; a little water, for some sympathetic simplicity. I picked sadly and hungrily at my beet salad, the brie cheese, pistachios and apples playing the part of the supercilious match-made-in-heaven. When he spoon-fed me offal, I felt just awful; it was a fine, tawny-tasting sauteed duck liver, but with my heart in my stomach and my gut in knots, it was hard to put a good face forward.
By the time we embarked upon entrees (~$28), optimism was coming into vogue. His home-style cream-stewed roasted leg of lamb portended friendship, and it was hard not to feel just a touch happy between bites of buttery skate fillets topped with cold mango salsa. There was enough good will that I deigned to order that devious mountain of fudge laced, profiterole-studded ice cream, and eat my feelings until I felt good enough to participate in a polite hug, and go our separate ways.
Luckily for me, and you, and every potential patron of love, loss, and La Sirene, there are plenty of (other) fish in the sea.
Listed in: Stylistic Ideals, Substantive…, Sad Sack Central, The Vanity Plate List
I would give this review a 4.5 stars if possible.
The half star deduct would be for the size of the restaurant , not the food. I knew going in that it was small and the tables were close together, but it is really small and at 6'-4" I was squeezed into a small table and there was no chance of quiet and intimate conversation.
The women running the place did a great job of keeping the food flowing and the tables cleared. My byob was placed on ice and our glasses were kept full.
I had the steamed mussels in white wine, they were perfect, tender , well flavored and very clean. My GF ordered the french onion soup, close if not the best we have had.
I had the fillet , it was melt in your mouth tender, maybe a little to much sauce on top, but a very minor detail. My GF had the pork tenderloin with the morel mushroom sauce , it was excellent.
A very good meal, food was very well prepared and served. I just wish the seating area was a little bigger.
Cash Only !
I've fallen in love with this restaurant! (: My experience at La Sirene was simply fantastic.
Made a late dinner reservation for 2 at 9:30 on a Friday night. Thank goodness, since the space is TINY, but cozy. We brought a lovely bottle of 2008 Frog's Leap Chardonnay (wanted to see if it was as good as my all time favorite 2007, only to be slightly disappointed) as Le Sirene is BYOB. Yay for no corkage fee!
We shared 2 appetizers-- one of their four mussel dishes and the night's duck pate special.
The Pate was buttery and delicious, but the Curried Mussels were AMAZING! I'm usually not into the tough texture and distinct taste of mussels, but they were cooked perfectly and the SAUCE stole the show. I would never go out of my way to order mussels, but at Le Sirene, I would order this dish again and again, and even again!! We couldn't get enough and continued to dip our bread in the rich, buttery sauce.
A ordered the Tournedos Rossini (Seared Filet Mignon Over Bread Toasted With Foie Gras (Pate Style) Shallots, Port & Red Wine Truffles Sauce): I wish I had snuck more than one bite!
I ordered one of the daily specials, the Lamb Shank. The tender meat and the savory sauce made the dish everything it should be and more! The seasoned puréed veggies were well-seasoned and complimented our dishes nicely.
I love the intimate setting, and I hope to return to Le Sirene on many future occasions!
this place is the bomb.
the food: stunning. goats cheese tart, duck, profiteroles. all off the scale. i don't think i have eaten french this good anywhere else before.
the serving staff are lovely - really attentive, and love the food as much as you do.
the restaurant itself is tiny, but i think that adds to the appeal. be aware that you're practically sitting next to your fellow diners though!
there is no pretence, no silver service... just great food and ambience. it's a new favourite of mine.
My wife and I found this place here in SOHO while out here on a show in New York. I can understand why the reviews rave about this place.
First off the service is incredible. Within the first 5 minutes the chef/owner introduced himself and visited with us for a few minutes. The wait staff is extremely attentive but not overly so.
The food was...well...amazing. Nice portions, superbly prepared and you could tell that the place does not skimp on the quality of the ingredients. What's more the prices are good.
The place is small, seating maybe 30 people I'd say, so reservations are recommended. They are cash only and BYOB. That being said this will be one of our regular stops when we come to New York.
It was truly a great dining experience!
Three standout pieces you will want over and over again: the goat cheese tart, the mussels, and the profiteroles.
This is my third time at La Sirene and the meal is always a hit with me. La Sirene is a casual French bistro with very buttery, rich, and indulgent food. Not really vegetarian or vegan-friendly which I saw a vegetarian diner found out as she left in a huff mid-dinner (dommage... c'est francaise!). The dining area is small and intimate so definitely stick to reservations and don't be surprised if everything from your hair to your boots reek of butter afterwards.
CASH ONLY! Don't be silly like me and forget to go to the ATM earlier if you're treating someone.
Listed in: Some Favorites
Wonderful! The reviews, menu prices and the BYOB policy (with no corkage fee) enticed me to try this place for a Sunday dinner with my sister. The food was delicious! The mussels, veal and the especially the profiteroles (basically 3 mini cream puffs with ice cream and decadent melted chocolate) were all excellent. I debated over a number of equally appealing options and am looking forward to a return trip.
The place is small, but they take reservations on open table which is a plus. However, if you have more than 4 people, you may still encounter a wait on busy nights.
The service was attentive, but not overly so as the staff are definitely fans of the leisurely dinner. Our waitress was always ready when our wine levels were dipping, but otherwise she did not rush us.
Fellow Yelpers..all of those who have ever been wronged by a restaurant..LISTEN UP:
Miracles do happen. The owner and chef reached out to me personally to apologize for my experience with my meal and told me that had I spoken up at the time they would not have charged me. I explained that I was a part of a birthday that not and did not want to make a big deal..and be "that girl". He actually agreed that after tasting the seafood shepards pie that it was def. lacking in seafood and sent me a check in the mail to refund my meal!
Any restaurant with that kind of costumer service deserves at least 4 stars in my book.
don't get me wrong..i had a really good time at dinner but it was more about the fact that we had a… Read more »
4.5 stars.
This place wins the Best Smelling Restaurant award. You walk in the restaurant and the flavors of garlic and butter consume you. I wanted to take a thousand deep breathes! (Be warned though, that you leave the restaurant smelling like the restaurant.)
I give this place 4.5 stars because the escargot was off the hook. The boy and I will order escargot whenever dining in a French restaurant, but I've never had them IN the shell before (see pic, they are pretty). They were so creamy and tasty. I was sad because we had to share the six between 4 people. Need to go back and get an order all for myself! Other reason why I love this place is because the mussels are the best I've had too. We ordered both the curry apple and white wine options--both were succulent. I like that the broths are a little bit thicker than I'm used to... lots of spices and herbs used to make the flavors come out. So delish to dip a piece of bread in the broth. Usually can't see myself finishing a whole order of mussels on my own, but I can see myself doing so with these.
The main entrees aren't bad either. Veal special, cassoulet (w/duck fat, oh my), and filet mignon with foie gras were all decent. The sea shepherd's pie was my fav entree of the night, although I was expecting large chunks of cod in it, but felt like most of it was mashed potato.
Regardless, it's the escargot and mussels that give this place the stars.
Bonus: BYOB and no corkage fee!
Neighborhood: South Village
Neighborhood: SoHo
Neighborhood: Hell's Kitchen
Neighborhood: South Village
New York, NY
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