I've written and talked about dining in New Orleans a few times since my trip in March, and I'd like to take a look back at some favourite food spots in the "Big Easy"... eateries I'm hoping will reopen in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's devastation of that wonderful city.

This feature was inspired by seeing a photo taken last month at Crepes a la Cart, one of the places I ate in New Orleans this past spring. There's a visible high water mark on the wall... but the place looks intact.

Crepes a la Cart is a tiny corner eatery with no place to sit down... just a counter and two flat griddles for cooking crepes and a variety of things that might go in them. Mine had spinach and mushrooms and hollandaise sauce, and was served rolled up in a cone of paper, perfect for eating on the go.

Café du Monde is one of the most famous and most crowded spots in the French Quarter, and has an incredible turnover... serving a very simple menu featuring their signature coffee with chicory and hot, fresh beignets. If you've never had a beignet, imagine a cross between a donut and the fried dough you get at a fair, sprinkled with powdered sugar... but a beignet is ten times better. The coffee is strong and distinctive, and I'm hoping it'll still be available online as before.

Most famous of all is Brennan's, a fancy French Quarter restaurant dating back to 1946, with a rooster as a mascot and a wine and cocktail list... for breakfast. Yes, breakfast at Brennan's is an elegant affair, with some very creative variations on an Eggs Benedict theme, such as poached eggs on artichoke hearts with creamed spinach and Hollandaise sauce, or Oysters Benedict... fresh, fried Gulf oysters with Canadian bacon and Hollandaise. Try a glass of gewurtztraminer with those. Or come for dinner, such as shrimp creole or blackened redfish, but whatever you do, finish up with Bananas Foster for dessert. It's banana halves cooked in a sauce of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and rum, then ignited before serving.

There's apparently little damage at Cafe du Monde, and at Brennan's, a falling tree damaged the patio, but they've been sleeping there on air mattresses, and cooking for themselves and police. Chances are, these and other New Orleans food landmarks will open again... and we'll have to go back... visit our friends, spend our tourist dollars, and help get New Orleans cuisine back on its feet.