Zagat releases 'Best of New Orleans'

NEW ORLEANS (AFX) - There are fewer restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions, but there's still much to love about New Orleans, a leading surveyor of leisure and entertainment providers nationwide says.

Tim Zagat, chief executive of the nationally recognized Zagat Survey LLC, on Wednesday released the results of his first survey of the city since Hurricane Katrina. Zagat has been collecting and publishing opinions on New Orleans restaurants for 18 years.

This year's guide, based on responses from 3,637 New Orleans area residents, has been expanded to include reviews of leading hotels, night clubs, bars and other attractions. It includes 390 restaurants, down from the last survey two years ago, which had more than 500 restaurants.

The businesses that have reopened since Katrina primarily are located in the city's French Quarter, downtown and the historic Garden District -- all parts of New Orleans tourists know and love, Zagat said.

And because tourism is so important to New Orleans' economy, the best way the nation can contribute to the city's recovery is to visit, he said. "Coming here is vital for two reasons: It's good for the city and it educates America," he said.

Zagat joined restaurant, hospitality and tourism officials at Commander's Palace on Wednesday to formally announce the 2007 Best of New Orleans survey results.

Commander's, which has topped Zagat's "Most Popular" restaurant list for the past 17 years, did not reopen in time for this year's survey.

Restaurant August was ranked No. 1 for overall food and service, while Galatoire's was voted most popular in the 2007 list. Pat O'Brien's was named most popular nightspot, the Aquarium of the Americas was the most popular attraction and The Windsor Court was the top hotel.

The National World War II Museum, set to begin a $300 million expansion that will quadruple the size of the existing facility over the next five years, was ranked the city's best attraction for overall appeal.

Zagat said that while there are many restaurants to mourn -- Bella Luna, Cobalt, Louis XVI and Sid-Mar, to name a few -- he's pleased that so many places voted the best in previous surveys are back in business and still doing well.

"That's more important than anything else we can say," he said.

Of note, however, is the number of newcomers to the dining scene since Katrina, he said.

This year's guide has more than 20 newcomers. Topping the list is Alberta, a French restaurant in the Uptown section of New Orleans near Magazine Street, which did not flood.

"When we saw the area we're in didn't flood, we knew we'd go ahead and open, without a doubt," said owner Alberta Pate, who accepted her award plaque Wednesday with daughter Melody Pate, the restaurant's head chef.

More than 80 percent of those surveyed are eating out as much or more than they were before Katrina, the survey results show. Only 17 percent are eating out less. And, according to the survey, almost 80 percent of the respondents said their favorite New Orleans restaurant has reopened since Katrina.

For the first time in 18 years, New Orleans is ranked among the worst cities nationwide for restaurant service, largely because so many restaurants are having trouble hiring enough workers, Zagat said. Even at Commander's, a large "Now Hiring" banner is posted out in front.

On a positive note, New Orleans is ranked among the least expensive cities nationwide for dining, according to the survey. It's ranked second only to Austin and the Texas Hill Country area, where the average cost of a meal is $25.30, according to the Zagat survey.

The average cost of a meal in New Orleans is $26.18, according to the survey, and New York tops the list with the average cost of a meal there being $39.43. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be

Copyright 2007 AFX News Limited. All Rights Reserved.