Bourbon Street in New Orleans is loud and brash and a little bit gaudy. Oh, there’s no denying it’s attraction to tourists. The music and bars and
restaurants should be experienced by every visitor, at least once while staying in “N’awlins”. However, Bourbon street is not necessarily the only game in town. Not far away from the French Quarter is a much more
authentic music and food experience: Frenchmen Street. Located in the Faubourg Marigny neighbourhood, Frenchmen street is home to some of New Orlean’s most revered live music venues. At least a dozen bars and clubs are squeezed along a short three block stretch in the Marigny section of Frenchmen Street. These include the Spotted Cat, the Blue Nile, Snug Harbor, La Maison, and the Apple Barrel, to name just a few.
Although most all of the venues don’t have a cover charge, the tip jars, hats, or buckets are prominently displayed. Frequented by locals and 
tourists alike, the bars and clubs are quite varied and it is an experience that gives you a taste of what New Orleans is all about: music, food, and people. For Pangeans, an evening strolling from bar to bar sampling the live jazz and blues, grabbing some food, and enjoying the mix of people is a mandatory stop while in the crescent city.
On a recent trip our favourite turned out to be the latter of these establishments. The Apple Barrel is the tiniest of places – I counted only 13 stools, including a half-dozen at the bar, five barrels for tables, and an 
area near one of the doors set aside for the band and performers. Three or four couples would constitute a crowd and a single soccer team arriving en masse would pack the place to the ‘gunnels’. However, what the Apple Barrel lacks in size, it makes up for in authentic ambiance. If you go to the Apple Barrel, be sure to check out Adolpho’s, the small “Creole Italian” restaurant upstairs. The “ocean sauce” on veal was stunning. It’s sometimes tough to get a table, so put your name on the list, then head back down the stairs, grab a drink, and enjoy the music.
If you are staying in the French Quarter Frenchmen Street is a relatively short walk away. While both the French Quarter and Frenchmen Street are generally safe to walk around, some locals suggest that the few blocks between can sometimes be a ‘little sketchy’. If heading to Frenchmen Street on foot after dark, a good route is to head first to Decatur Street, the Quarter’s main drag closest to the river, then follow it towards the French Market. Decatur turns into Frenchmen near the French Market. The route also has the benefit of taking you past BB King’s House of Blues ($5 cover) which is also worth a stop.
And no, this particular Pangean does not like bourbon. I suppose it must be an American thing.