The Big Easy, post-Katrina is back. Most of the top hotels and restaurants have reopened and the business at local shops is picking up again. Of course, in some ways New Orleans is forever changed, but in much of the French Quarter and Central Business District it’s the same as it ever was. Purple and green and gold Mardi Gras necklaces are still hanging from tree branches and around people’s necks; the trolley stills clanks its way up Canal Street. If you, like me, have been here before, you will be charmed again by the Big Easy’s unique character. If you’ve never been, a weekend will reveal what the rest of us know about this soulful city. Either way, you’ll positively contribute to New Orleans’ recovery.

Restaurant August

It’s been said that time here isn’t kept in hours or days but in meals; plan accordingly. Sara, the confident server at Restaurant August, steers me toward Chef John Besh’s degustation menu with wine pairings that unfolds over three hours. And though New Orleans is one of the few U.S. cities with really great bread (it must be the water, Sara and I decide) I go easy on the delicious artisan pulled bread. The lively, mouth-filling complexity the beet salad with sweet crab meat, bacon, mache, quail eggs with black eyed pea croutons elevated greens to something memorable. It’s followed by foie gras served with Sauternes, and one of the most heavenly dishes I have ever eaten: gossamer gnocchi tossed with blue crab and Umbrian black truffles served in a fish broth. Next up: gently saline scallops served with rich pork belly and vegetable risotto, the signature redfish with roasted cauliflower, crabmeat and local caviar in a dill emulsion, and sugar and spice ducking with mascarpone grits and roasted foie gras. Dessert is a nod to the past, “calas tout chaud,” which is what Creole women used to shout as they sold these fried rice cakes on the streets. The delicious balls are served with hazelnut ice cream and taste like a denser version of a beignet.

Lodging at International House and Harrah's

On this visit, I split my time at two hotels: International House and Harrah’s. International House is a hip, 119-room boutique hotel with a candlelit bar, Loa, which means “deities” in Voodoo. The rooms are grandly scaled with soaring ceilings, leather headboards, monochromatic furnishings drapes that puddle seductively on the carpeted floor. Harrah’s, which opened in September 2006, is the city’s newest hotel, a 26-story tower with 450 contemporary rooms featuring local artwork, marble bath and HDTV. As I’m not a gambler, I appreciated the fact that I didn’t have to navigate the casino to get to my room; the casino and hotel are in two separate buildings located across the street from each other near the Riverwalk.

The Besh Steakhouse

I gladly entered the casino to dine at The Besh Steakhouse, another eatery under the tutelage of the 2006 James Beard winning chef. I enjoyed a stellar meal amid the high-energy bustle and the playful blue dog artwork of Cajun George Rodrigue: barbecue shrimp, Natichitoches meat pies with buttermilk dressing and grilled tournedos of beef with crabmeat béarnaise had me singing the kitchen’s praises. I capped off dinner with a “green fairy” in Pirate’s Alley. To the uninitiated, that is absinthe, a bitter green liquor poured over a sugar cubes into a glass of water. The resultant milky drink is said to have narcotic and aphrodisiac qualities. I got a nice buzz.

New Orleans Attractions

The following day I headed for the rapidly gentrifying Warehouse District, aka the Arts District. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, which is a part of the University of New Orleans and an affiliate of the Smithsonian, has the most comprehensive collection of southern art in the world. Across the street I toured the fascinating National World War II Museum where the docents are veterans. Tanks, jeeps, planes, boats and other artifacts tell the story of the war from Normandy’s beaches to the sands of the Pacific islands.

On my final day, I went to the Aquarium to see the IMAX film, “Hurricane on the Bayou.” The dramatic tale of nature’s fury was emotionally affecting, and I heard lots of sniffles in the theatre as the impact of the state’s disappearing wetlands was writ large. Perhaps no other city (save Venice) embodies the twin masks of tragedy and comedy as vibrantly as New Orleans. At Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World, visitors can literally see how sculptors and artists create the colorful, fantastic floats that enliven its biggest party. I also whiled away several hours in the Quarter, in several used bookstores. The sharp smell of old books and the luxury of scanning the faded spines is a pleasure Amazon will never replace. The chiming of an old clock and the clap, clap of the horses hooves on the cobblestones outside add to the timeless quality.

Herbsaint and Brennan's

I sated my appetite at Herbsaint, an unassuming bistro with mint walls and copper pots hanging in the kitchen window. By 1 p.m. on Friday, a crowd was waiting to tuck into such luscious fare as sweetly intense shrimp bisque; duck, tasso and andouille gumbo with a kick; moist, lightly fried frog legs; distinctive curried catfish with lentils; and lovely banana brown butter tart with fleur de sel caramel. Perhaps my favorite was the housemade spaghetti with proscuitto and a poached egg that’s yellow yolk, once cut, coated the pasta. I noticed that three other tables had ordered the decadent dish, all celebrating the joy of carbs.

Brennan’s is a favorite of first-timers and long-timers for its Mr. Funk cocktail, shrimp sardou and bananas foster, the famous flamed dessert, the most requested menu item. On a Sunday night in the Big Easy, French doors thrown open to the courtyard, diners cry with delight as the spectacle and the city beckons—past, present and future.