First, the important Dooky trivia: Ray Charles (among other musicians) hung out here after shows and wrote “Early in the Morning” about it. Leah Chase, chef and the late Dooky’s wife (aka the “Queen of Creole Cuisine”), has won just about every culinary award in existence, (and was the model for Tiana in Disney’s delightful film The Princess and the Frog). In the ‘60s, Dooky Chase was an important meeting place for civil rights leaders. Now well into her 90s, Leah remains a vibrant, revered, and important civic figure. After Hurricane Katrina, the couple lived in a FEMA trailer across the street for 2 years while they rebuilt the restaurant. Oh, and Presidents Obama and Bush I both dined at Dooky’s (not together). It’s not quite what it was in the glory days, but us lesser folk can partake of the weekday lunch buffet with traditional Creole standards in the handsome red, art-filled dining room. A better choice is the Friday dinner, when the neighbor-saturated atmosphere sizzles like the crisp fried chicken—a serious contender for the city’s best. Come for the hallowed history; stay for the chicken.