COMINGANDGOING

· Big Easy restaurants were cheaper than those in all but one of the other 26 cities on the comparison list, with an average meal cost of $26.18.

· Most popular restaurant in New Orleans? Survey says: Galatoire's. Best food: August. Best new restaurants: Alberta, Vizard's on the Avenue (actually an old favorite at a new location), Iris, Cochon and 7 on Fulton.

"New Orleans is not only ready but anxious to welcome tourists back," said Zagat publisher Tim Zagat. "Visiting is patriotic tourism: You can have a great time and help the city's revival, all at the same time."

TRAVEL TICKER

To mark Black History Month, BedandBreakfast.com has compiled a list of more than a dozen B&Bs that were once stations on the Underground Railroad. Some still have secret passageways. Inn by the Mill in Saint Johnsville, N.Y., for example, has three secret rooms below the basement and a 1,000-foot-long water tunnel that escapees could use when the water wheel was turned off at night. Details: http://www.bedandbreakfast.com; click on Resources, then Press Room . . . United's nonstop flights from Dulles to Beijing should be taking off by March, but tickets won't be sold until the route is formally approved by the Department of Transportation. Until then, fares remain unknown . . . Royal Caribbean cruise line is now using trans-fat- free cooking oil, will begin removing other trans fats from its menus March 1, and will remove all trans fats by the end of the year . . . Slovenian tolars are no more: Euros are the only accepted currency as of this week.

BARGAIN OF THE WEEK

Oh, Rochester?

Fly from BWI to Rochester, N.Y., for $99 round trip including taxes. Details: What's the Deal?, Page P3.

Reporting: Cindy Loose

Help feed CoGo. Send travel news to: cogo@washpost.com. By fax: 202-912-3609. By mail: CoGo, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.