Sid Mar's Falls On Its Sword

Sid Mar's Restaurant in Bucktown and Coconut Beach Volleyball Complex at West End will be sacrificed in order to construct a temporary floodgate and pumping station. While I have never been to Sid Mar's, other like it have been fequented many time my wife and I to enjoy the simple menus of fried seafood, generous portions and relaxed atmosphere.

Although I haven't played volleyball in ten years, I remember the summer our firm played in Coconut Beach's summer league like it was yesterday. June and July in New Orleans can be the epitomy of hot and humid, but having a couple of cold beers after a game of volleyball next to Lake Ponchartrain was never more pleasant.

Now they may never return but I'm going to be an optimist and await the day when each opens in a new location nearby.

While saddened by their loss Sid-Mar’s operator Kent Burgess is philosophical about it:

Burgess said he knows the greater good – the protection of life – has to take precedence over rebuilding the restaurant, but he said the thought hurts.

The whole area known as West End took a beating during Hurricane Katrina and before with other restaurants being lost or damaged during Hurricanes Georges and Ivan. The last storm devastated the area so much that it can only go up. Let's hope that West End is part of the rebuilding plan of New Orleans.

More about West End can be found at Wikitravel.

UPDATE: Graphic of proposed gate and pumps here. And it looks like the site for Coconut Beach will become available again.