Chef Sal Impastato arrived in America in 1960, and began stirring his 15-gallon pots of real Sicilian fare. This casual, homey place is across Lake Pontchartrain, about a 40-minute drive from New Orleans, and specializes in Creole-Italian cooking with Impastato's solid Sicilian foundations. The interior is a throwback to mid-20th-century dining rooms: wall-to-wall carpeting, draperies, upholstered chairs and a rather quiet ambience. As for the food, Trout Belle meunière is stuffed with seasoned bread crumbs, and the whole artichoke is heartwarmingly good. Your best bets are traditional Italian dishes such as lasagna, cannelloni and spaghetti. For dessert, Baci (kisses in Italian) is a layering of vanilla ice cream, roasted almonds, a dash of Amaretto and whipped cream. The wide-ranging wine list hits many corners of the globe, including Italy. Check out the Saracco Moscato for dessert or as an apéritif. Prices are low, portions are huge and service is country-style friendly.
