Sylvano

A young, attractive, and spirited crowd fills Sylvano every night. They come for the lively scene, dependable Italian fare, and truly budget prices. Pastas, for instance, run $8 to $12 and include a toothsome lasagna with Bolognese-style beef, and orecchiette with tender cubes of eggplant, grated ricotta salata cheese, and a pleasantly neutral tomato sauce. Those on a really tight budget might want to split a thin, blistery-crusted margherita pizza for $6.95. Same price brings a sprightly spinach salad with goat cheese and lots of chopped peanuts and bacon. Main courses are also gratifying, none more so than pollo Milanese, the flattened, breaded, generously portioned chicken breast pan-fried to a positively succulent state. The owner used to be part of the Sport Café team, and like that similarly low-priced SoBe Italian restaurant, TV sets broadcast sporting events, and photos of athletes adorn the walls. Sylvano shares something else with the late Sport Café: a large, loyal, lively customer base that makes dining here a cheap neighborhood thrill.