Even as Hurricane Isaac menaced New Orleans on Wednesday, the city's historic French Quarter was refuge to a stready stream of tourists and locals.<br/> <br />With about 60 percent of the city darkened by downed power lines, people flocked to the few restaurants in the district with electricity.<br/> <br />The hearty crowd at Oceana Grill ventured out before the city-wide curfew at dusk for some cold drinks and southern food.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) GEORGE DUBAZ, NEW ORLEANS TOUR GUIDE, SAYING:<br/> <br />"Oceana was open so I came down and it was the only place open so I decided to come down and get a drink and a little something to eat."<br/> <br />Oceana's owner was hopeful that the city's new flood protection plans will stop the worst of the flooding.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) MOE BADER, OWNER OF OCEANA, SAYING:<br/> <br />"This is definitely a proof to us that the 11 billion dollars they spent to strengthen the levees was spent wisely."<br/> <br />Oceana has stayed open during all 19 hurricanes that have hit New Orleans since the restaurant's 1973 founding-- including the devestating 2005 Hurricane Katrina.
