Chef John Besh had long wanted to bring back from extinction the great old brasseries that used to thrive in New Orleans.  Now, for Besh, Lüke is that labor of love.  ‘Alsace meets New Orleans,’ is how they characterize the cuisine, explaining that the old brasseries were the time-honored establishments of late 19^th-century German and Jewish immigrants -- whose influence on the food and culture of the city was profound.  Lüke’s menu is unaffectedly Old World, featuring Germanic specialties and French bistro classics, house-made pâtés and abundant plateaux of cold, fresh seafood.  To complement its brasserie cuisine, Lüke offers an extensive French, German, and Belgian beer selection, including three exclusive house brews, as well as wines from the Loire, Alsace, and Savoie regions, and Badischerwiens of Germany.  Located in the heart of the Central Business District on St. Charles Avenue, Lüke is open 365 days a year, from 7am to 11pm, reviving the traditional brasseries whose warm and cheerful dining rooms were once home-away-from-home for many New Orleanians.  For those who remember the brasseries of old, it will be a nostalgic treat; and for a whole new generation, it will recreate a bit of the Old World.  New Orleans Magazine named Luke “Best New Restaurant 2007” and Condé Nast Traveler’s annual “Hot List” named Lüke one of the top 105 worldwide restaurants of 2008; only 39 were in the United States.