Worth a thousand words ...

^ Willie Mae's Scotch House Restaurant, a James Beard Foundation "American Classic"

^ Willie Mae's Scotch House Restaurant.

^ Brennan's ruined bottle of Opus One and the restaurant, still closed Feb. 26, 2006.

^ The always open Cafe du Monde eerily empty in the days after the storm and packed on Feb. 26, 2006.

^ The venerable Commander's Palace still under construction Feb. 27, 2006.

^ Cafe Degas damage and in brighter pre-Katrina days.

^ Joe's Crab Shack.

^ Mandina's still shows her high flood mark; water topped the bar inside. And, the Mid-City favorite before the storm.

^ The contents of Mandina's now in the parking lot behind the restaurant on Feb. 26, 2006. Its sign proclaims to Canal Street: "We Shall Return."

^ St. Bernard institution: Rocky & Carlos.

^ Ted's Frostop Feb. 26, 2006.

^ Hometown fast food, Burger Orleans.

^ Chain reaction.

^ Liuzza's in the deep flood zone and pre-storm.

^ Harrison Grocery: water to the eaves, soggy contents still inside.

^On Feb 26, 2006: Ferrara's Super Market, one of the many small grocers specializing in local and ethnic -- in this case Italian -- foods.

^ Six months after Katrina: Collapsed homes and houses in the street in the lower 9th ward, a poor working-class neighborhood once home to many restaurant and hospitality industry workers.

^ Home damage in the 9th Ward.

^ 80% of New Orleans flooded when the levees gave way.