A half century ago, the corner butcher shop was a staple of New Orleans neighborhood life. Today, most of these butcher shops are gone, and most people buy their meat in shrink-wrapped packages from the supermarket aisle.

But last month, restaurateur Donald Link with partners Stephen Stryjewski and Warren Stephens opened Cochon Butcher in the Warehouse District. The small space, which sells fresh cuts of meat, sandwiches, and wine, is a modern chef's interpretation of the old New Orleans butcher shop.