Covington

For me, all Italian food falls into two categories. There's the cooking that blows me away every time I go to Italy, or to a few restaurants in this country. And then there's everything else. I like the food in the latter category, but not nearly as much as I like the former. In New Orleans we only occasionally get the memorable stuff. Even when it appears, it has a way of morphing into Category Due. Del Porto is the only restaurant in the New Orleans area that has managed to keep that amazing, herbal, rustic, robust style of cooking over the long term.

Uptown 3: Napoleon To Audubon

Lots of sushi bars are Uptown, where lots of sushi eaters live. Kyoto has particular appeal to many of them, because in a time when even sushi bars seem to be slipping into slick formulas, this place still has a personality and a uniquely Uptown look. The menu is above average both in its selection and its goodness. You get not just sushi, tempura, and teriyaki dishes but also some grilled, barbecued, noodle, and vegetarian dishes in significant number.

Uptown 2: Washington To Napoleon

Basin Seafood is your basic utilitarian seafood house in every regard except one. Although it plies the flow of Louisiana fish and shellfish to build its menu, this is not the place if you're hungry for a fried seafood platter. The techniques of cooking and the flavors that result from them are from a different cookbook, although not one that is likely to puzzle any eater for long. Sauces, even the ones that sound as if they make a strong statement, step aside to let the fish take over.