TDN Weekend December 2016 Issue 9
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1087484
Far funkier and more uncomfortable is the Maple Leaf Bar, on hipster Oak Street. It's a significant-but-worth-it cab ride from the Quarter, especially on Tuesdays, when the red-hot Rebirth Brass Band plays. Most people stand; a few lucky ones get to sit. Everyone sweats. Much tamer but at least as satisfying is Fritzel's European Jazz Pub, which features soft, smooth jazz, no cover, and no arm-twisting to eat or drink. Fritzel's is one good reason to brave – suffer? – Bourbon Street. Cajun music is a world apart from jazz, and the best in New Orleans is at Mulate's, which approximates the dance halls in Cajun country in southwest Louisiana. Order a drink and some snacks, but definitely skip the food. Otherwise, just traverse the Quarter and outlying neighbor- hoods, especially on Esplanade, and poke your head in vari- ous doorways, diving deeper into whatever sounds good. About lodging: location is everything, and success depends on what you seek. I want reasonable proximity to action and activity, but I would rather lose 20 straight photo finishes than stay in the thick of Bourbon Street's Friday and Satur- day night frat-boy hell. My best bets are the Soniat House, in the Quarter, if you have a robust budget, a romantic agen- da, and a desire to experience Delta charm. A block away is the far cheaper Le Richelieu, which has a small outdoor pool and perfectly comfortable rooms, but not the allure of Soniat. IT'S RICHEST ON EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS, BUT EVEN ON WEEKDAY AFTERNOONS YOU MIGHT CATCH THE NEXT BIGTIME JAZZ PLAYER.