(continued)

Eating
The citywide 9 p.m. curfew has curtailed Baghdad's storied late-night dining scene, but intrepid gourmands are not entirely without options. Samad—given "five stars" by a local foodie—is the Mansour's jumpingest eatery, a favorite spot for power lunches and socializing among Baghdad's upper crust. The famous chicken kebabs and fresh bread (not to mention a dearth of competition) ensure that the crowds never let up, so securing a table in the formal dining section downstairs can be an adventure. If you miss out, roll up your sleeves and join the fray upstairs for buffet-style fare.

Looking for a slightly riskier option? Consider Corner, on heavily trafficked (and bombed) Jadriya Street. Pizza is $4, there's lasagna, and when the power goes out, owner Haider Saleh keeps the warm mood intact with a generator.

Cultural Attractions
During the final years of Saddam's reign, Baghdad's art scene burgeoned to 19 galleries. Today, only one remains. Hewar, in the Wazerieh district, features an excellent collection of paintings from Iraq's Pioneer school. Expect a personal tour from owner and painter Qasim al-Septi. He might even share a cardamom coffee with you in the lush tea garden and tell you stories about his days painting portraits of Saddam.

History buffs bored with Persepolis can check out Baghdad's more recent ruins. The most impressive is the looted Saddam Arts Center. Stroll through the rubble and muse over the blank walls where Cubist portraits of Saddam as a peasant messiah once hung alongside works by Miró and Picasso.

At the time of the invasion, Baghdad's zoological gardens were home to 800 exotic creatures. Though the grounds are still open to visitors, only 86 animals remain. Many escaped, others became house pets or meals, and one unlucky Bengal tiger was shot by U.S. troops after it bit the finger off a drunken soldier. Lions from Uday and Qusay's private menagerie, however, survived and are on view.

Nightlife
In years past, Baghdad's after-hours scene pulsed with vitality, but hitting the streets past dusk nowadays is essentially asking to be kidnapped. Fundamentalists have shuttered most establishments that sell alcohol (though hashish is said to be having its post-Saddam moment). The disco at the al Rashid Hotel—epicenter of the party scene for Westerners following the invasion—is now gutted.

Two swanky watering holes remain: the Hunting Club and the splendid Alwiya, founded by the British in 1924. Today fortress walls and dozens of armed guards protect the tony clubs' tennis courts and swimming pools, and those who make the cut can cultivate friends among the Baghdadi elite. Says one journalist who's never snagged an invite: "Mostly, we just stay in our hotel rooms. Maybe if we're feeling crazy, we'll go eat in someone else's room."

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