Eggplant Parmigiana @ Impastato's.

Eggplant Parmigiana @ Impastato's

The first time we saw the word "Parmigiana" (or its English equivalent "Parmesan") as the second half of the name of a dish in an Italian restaurant, the first word was "veal." It was late in the 1960s, and it marked the limit beyond which were the first gourmet Italian dishes. Panneed veal was covered with a good bit of cheese and even more thick red sauce. Then the whole thing was run under the broiler until the cheese melted and the red sauce bubbled. This was clearly a step past spaghetti and meatballs, but it still held most of the flavors we went to Italian restaurants for. Since then, almost everything has been parmigianified. One of the best such items has come lately, after we'd gone through veal, chicken, and sausage. Eggplant Parmigiana, whose low price made it appealing, may be the best member of the family. The best example of the dish is at Impastato's, where a large pad of breaded, pan-fried eggplant gets topped to mozzarella and a spicy red sauce. Like most dishes at Impastato's, there's enough here for two people.

Impastato's. Metairie 2: Orleans Line To Houma Blvd: 3400 16th St. 504-455-1545.

This is among the 500 best dishes in New Orleans area restaurants. Click here for a list of the other 499. [divider type=""]