Thursday, Oct. 13; Posted 11:50 a.m. ET From Andreas Preuss, CNN Gulf Coast BureauFrom the CNN back lot wafts the smell of soft shell crabs -- a New Orleans delicacy. Behind the fryer and whisking a tartar sauce, is Chef Scot Craig. He's the owner of Katie's Restaurant, a Mid-City eatery located on Iberville. That street, along with most of the neighborhood, was flooded by Katrina.Scot, who evacuated on the Saturday before Katrina's landfall, says his place was hit twice. "Katie's was vandalized and burglarized before the flood, the back door broken in. Then 5 to 6 feet of water came into the 108-year-old building. Then the mold came up," he says.Scot hopes to get back into business in the next six months. He says some changes are in store for the restaurant, including a new "twist." That may very well be his new partner, Nicky DiGiorgio. They shared a catering business and are now hopeful about the future.Scot says Katie's will reopen in the same location. He plans to add new walls and a patio. As for New Orleans, he says the city "will be back, better and cleaner if leadership stays on track."Just down St. Charles Avenue, Vincent's Restaurant is buzzing on a Saturday night. It's a modest place that serves old school Italian. Its Uptown location left it high and dry, with some minor roof damage.Owners Vincent Catalanotto and Tony Imbraguglio did some repairs, cleaned out the freezer, turned on the lights and flung open the doors. And returning residents poured in for some intimate dining after a day of yard cleaning and debris removal.Tony says he's been "overwhelmed and overjoyed by the camaraderie." He considers his ability to serve the hungry as a contribution to the neighborhood as things start returning to normal.But now it's a low-tech affair, with paper plates, plastic cutlery and wines sipped from plastic cups. His post-Katrina menu features 17 items, about 50 percent less than his regular menu. Tony says his employees are friends, family and neighbors.Tony also thinks the city will recover. "New Orleans will come back bigger, better, stronger. It's now important for people to reconnect with each other," he says. Tony has been doing his part by working 18-hour days, six days a week. I can tell you the Veal Roberto never tasted better.Chef Scot has been serving up some of the best home-style cooking I've ever tasted. On the menu: Braithwaite salad, City Park stewed okra, Shrimp Pontchartrain, Katie's bronzed catfish ... and yes, Grand Couteau soft shell crab. Sure beats eating Spam and Ramen Noodles.