CBD

Will there ever be enough great restaurants in the Tchoupitoulas Corridor of the Warehouse District? (Already there: Emeril's, Tommy's, Tomas Bistro, Cochon, Butcher, Annunciation, and La Boca, to name not quite all of them.) Compere Lapin is in quick walking distance of all the hotels and office buildings in the Lower CBD, and is targeted at the youthful clientele that fill the sidewalks along that stretch. They are attracted by a large, well-managed bar and a menu addressing an underserved cuisine.

Covington

Uptown 4: Riverbend, Carrollton & Broadmoor

Everything about Cowbell cries out for a battered, hand-painted wooden sign in front that says, "Last Chance For New Orleans Food!" Cross that railroad track, and you have indeed left the city, in a neighborhood that does indeed resemble the End Of The World. The place is such a wreck (an intentional design statement) that it places in the mind the idea that you could find a cleaner and more comfortable place to eat with food as good. This is largely an illusion, but something they should consider.