Tahoe City native Andrew Shimer brings it home with New American bistro

North Tahoe High School grad Andrew Shimer started working in kitchens simply as a way to keep his days free for snowboarding. In short order, shredding took on new meaning.

“I quickly found myself drawn to the controlled chaos of cooking, and realized I had a real talent for it,” says Shimer, who moved to San Francisco when he was 24 with plans to go to culinary school.

Owners Andrew Shimer and Chata Villa met and bonded at The Bridgetender Tavern, where Villa was working behind the bar

On advice that he’d be better off learning from the city’s world-class chefs rather than holed up in a classroom, Shimer honed his culinary chops at top Bay Area spots like Aqua and The Waterfront, absorbing techniques and refining his skills along the way. He ultimately landed the top spot at Oakland’s acclaimed fine dining spot Mezze, where he truly found his own style, passion and deep respect for food.

The siren song of the Sierra is strong, and in 2009 Shimer returned to Tahoe City, first at the former Fiamma as a favor for a family friend. He then signed on as executive chef at Christy Hill Lakeside Bistro, where for a dozen years he built his reputation and menus around fresh and seasonal ingredients using “a technically updated Mediterranean approach” and making many products, from pancetta to duck prosciutto, in-house. 

Personally and professionally, it was time to build his own house, with his wife Chata Villa. The couple, who married four years ago, opened Sylva this past November, by coincidence or fate, in the same space once occupied by Fiamma, and most recently the Pioneer Cocktail Club.

“The idea for Sylva had been brewing for years, and I was ready to start my own restaurant with a more casual feel,” says Shimer, adding that “the concept was borne from a love of shared plates, bold flavors and a strong connection to the land.”

The buzzy bistro, which seats 68, is decorated in earthy textures, warm tones and moody lighting

“We wanted to open a restaurant both Chata and I would want to eat at weekly, in a space that felt refined yet inviting, where locals and visitors could enjoy innovative, high-quality food and wine without the formality of fine dining. It’s New American at its core, but with influences from everywhere I’ve cooked, always grounded in fresh seasonal ingredients. The wood oven plays a big part in our concept. ‘Sylva’ comes from the Latin word for ‘woods’ or ‘forest,’ so many of the dishes are rooted in wood-fire cooking.”

An intimate but lively dining experience, the no-white-tablecloths-here buzzy bistro seats 68 in the dining room, bar area, lounge and chef’s counter. Summer months will add an outside bar and a few tables with a peek of the lake. 

Shannon Barter, owner of Tahoe City interior design firm ID3, played a huge role in shaping the fresh space. 

“She absolutely knocked it out of the park,” says Shimer. “We wanted Sylva’s design to reflect our philosophy: an organic-modern aesthetic rooted in nature. My cousin Amanda Lynn created an incredible mural, and (local contractor) Michael Morrissey handled the remodel, bringing our vision to life. The result is a space with earthy textures, warm tones and moody lighting that invites people to linger.”

The ever-changing menu is a blend of dishes Shimer had been dreaming about for years and flavors that just felt right for the space, with everything built around high-quality seasonal ingredients and made in-house, from scratch. Chef de cuisine Kiana Cash, who came from Cornerstone Bakery in Truckee, brought some fresh ideas to the mix as well. 

Sylva’s constantly evolving menu includes dishes such as the Burger Royale, wood-oven fired pizzas, Spanish octopus and hamachi crudo

“It’s also been special bringing some of Chata’s home in Peru into Sylva,” says Shimer, adding, “She’s been my rock through this entire rollercoaster.”  

Seasonality is key, but the availability of the best quality ingredients is also important. 

“You can expect menu shifts throughout the year based on what my purveyors are offering and what my palate is craving or what dishes from previous travels are calling my name,” says Shimer. “Some core dishes will stick around, but I love keeping things fresh and always evolving. New concepts are always going through my head, so I like to tweak the menu often.”

Sourcing is everything at Sylva, which works closely with local farmers, foragers and purveyors. On the short list: Sierra Nevada Cheese Company for fromage blanc, and Captain “Caveman” is the go-to forager for morels for offerings such as a spring pappardelle. Sylva also partners with Habeger’s Produce Plus and Tahoe Food Hub and sources items from the Sierra foothills when available.

“I’m always looking for the best seasonal ingredients, whether it’s pristine seafood or peak-season produce,” says Shimer. “We are very conscious of our seafood choices and make sure our meats are ethically sourced. It is hard to source 100 percent local; that’s why we note ‘whenever possible’ on our menu. Being up front with our guests is key.”

So, several months in, what’s cooking at Sylva? Chef Kiana Cash’s soft and pillowy sourdough focaccia is a staple. Made from a starter she brought with her from Oregon, it’s delivered with anchovy-garlicky bagna cauda and house-churned butter.

The menu is stocked with artfully composed small plates designed for sharing. Recent offerings include crispy tequeños—wonton wrappers bundled with duck confit and cotija and delivered hot from the oil with a green aioli verde. And, maiale tonnato—a Northern Italian carpaccio of sorts—rendered here in the form of thinly sliced house-cured pork loin, with a cured egg yolk and tuna conserva-anchovy mayo. The kimchee-brined fried chicken thighs get some white cheddar grits love, while a “pate melt” pairs pork pistachio country terrine with chevre, caramelized shallots and mustard “caviar.” Sometimes a burger just calls—the “Royale” is built with a ground wagyu beef patty, perfect egg, smoked cheddar, beer-battered onion ring and pickled vegetables on a brioche bun.

Dessert options might include a warm and sticky ginger date cake crowned with salted maple ice cream

Look for riffs on Christy Hill fan favorites like hamachi tartare with edamame guacamole, tangerines, almonds and curry-tinged vadouvan vinaigrette, and an earthy pan-roasted gnocchi made with duck confit, hedgehog mushrooms, port jus and a pressure-poached egg.

Shimer’s menu also leans on the almond-fed wood-fired oven to turn out dishes. Find well-charred pizzas—perhaps topped with spring onion and green garlic or house-cured bacon, herbed ricotta and apple-fennel chutney, as well as an umami-laced pork belly finished with an Asian barbecue sauce. A crispy-skinned black cod arrives atop a mound of butter beans, cipollini, harissa creme and crowned with fried shallots. Spanish octopus, also a Christy Hill legacy, appears here, atop a swath of spicy arrabbiata.

Saved room for dessert? Smart move! A warm and sticky ginger date cake is served with salted maple ice cream, candied pecans and bourbon-soaked dates; the OG chocolate croissant bread pudding with Chantilly cream is another Christy Hill keeper.

Wine director David Eisenstark, an alum of Christy Hill and Jack Rabbit Moon, put together a program that mixes classics and some unexpected finds, with a strong emphasis on European and South American, as well as California and Oregon, labels, keeping Sylva’s food top of mind.

“The wine list was built as an extension of the menu,” says Shimer. “It is thoughtful, approachable and focused on producers who are doing something special, either organic, low-intervention or just small winemakers with a cool story behind them. Our goal was to offer selections that you can’t find anywhere else around us, so it’s fun to introduce guests to new grape varietals and interesting stories.” 

Interesting stories indeed. Local kid makes better than good—that’s darn delicious.

“The warm welcome and support from our community and visitors has been extremely humbling, especially being a Tahoe City local boy,” says Shimer. “We’re happy to have opened a niche in our town that wasn’t quite fulfilled and seeing that people are hungry for good food and exciting wine.” 

Sylva is located at 521 North Lake Blvd., Tahoe City, CA, (530) 807-1099. Dinner is served Thursday through Monday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Limited reservations are currently available by phone; walk-ins are always welcome at the bar, dining room and chef’s counter. For more information check out sylvatahoe.com.

Susan D. Rock is Tahoe Quarterly’s longtime Food & Wine editor.