Bad neighborhood vs. good meal - what are your criteria?

I was thinking of the chef from la boca who is opening a new restaurant in central city in nola. I was wondering what the boards opinion of good food in statistically crime filled areas are.

For the record, my wife and I own property in central city and we know that the reputation of it doesn't mirror the lived experience. That is, there is a perception problem. I would say the same was true of most of bywater years ago and the broad/st. Claude area (and parts of mid city).

Also, for work I've offen had clients take me or I myself would take them to good eateries that were less than stellar (tenderloin in sf, Harlem in nyc, etc). However, there have been some cities where it is not worth the risk, some part of Albuquerque or some areas of San Diego.

For me, I can break down the risk into: where the source of the bad neighborhood information vs. What the restaurant is and is the calibur of food worth it. It's not a very scientific process, but it's a gut feeling.

How do others decide?