On May 22nd, 1796, Jean-Francois-Marmontel and Andre Getry’s one-act comic opera Sylvain was performed in New Orleans. Residents hungry for something culturally rich, inventive and unpredictable were captivated by the performance. That same year, construction was completed on a three-story carriage house at what is now 625 Chartres Street by local landmark developer Don Andres Almonaster y Roxas.
Since then, the building has been owned by numerous New Orleans dignitaries and characters, including notorious French Quarter Madame Aunt Rose Arnold who presided over her own Storyville brothel and lived at 625 Chartres during the 1920s. Standing over six feet tall, Aunt Rose was an imposing figure and friend of many of the neighborhood’s bohemians as well as friend of famous authors; Sherwood Anderson who wrote of her in “A Meeting South” and Faulkner is also believed to have used her as his muse, patterning his character “Miss Reba” after her in “Sanctuary” and “The Reivers.”
Although the world has changed profoundly since the days of Almonaster, Faulkner and Miss Reba, New Orleans has managed to maintain its reverence for tradition. Much like the first opera ever performed here, the city still places a premium on those attributes of culture, inventiveness, and mystery (and a good bit of humor as well).
In fall of 2010, Sylvain opened its doors in one of the world’s most celebrated neighborhoods at the very site of Mr. Almonaster’s Chartres Street carriage house. By celebrating the city’s storied past as well as creating a menu and design aesthetic that blends both the past and future, Sylvain provides an oasis of style and unmatched quality. From dining on elevated bistro classics to enjoying a wine program and cocktail menu that leans toward the classics while embracing the resurgence of cocktail culture (including an offering of a Sazerac left on the bar every night for Miss Reba), guests will savor the restaurant’s unspoiled rawness and modern luxury.
Our tree-covered courtyard only adds to the space’s timeless feel to create a truly New Orleans experience. By restoring the historic doors, ceilings, walls and balconies to their original glory and adding elegant seating, lighting and artwork, Sylvain feels at once historic, yet thoroughly modern — all done with a nod to the comedic opera that bears its name. And isn’t a skillfully-performed comedic opera something any truly great New Orleans restaurant should aspire to be?
