CBD

The potential profitability of a top-class steakhouse explains why there have been so many new ones in the past couple of decades. Although there have been moments when the maximum was exceeded (anyone remember Hyde Park Grill?), the allure of a good steak is so universal that it's an easy sell. And the tickets so high that a restaurateur doesn't have to keep the room full all the time to make the nut.

New Orleans East

CBD

The dining room of the Loews Hotel is a kicky, casual branch of Commander's Palace, with the service standards of the mother ship and an accessible, interesting menu. ¶ A visit here begins with one of the best bars town, with an imaginative program of creating new and old cocktails with fresh juices, house-made mixers, and great care. ¶ The food is more rustic than at Commander's, with ingredients and techniques that have a homestyle quality. Cafe Adelaide does a brisk lunch business, but at dinner it's a good place to remember, because it usually has tables available.