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Westbank Restaurants A drive across the Mississippi River gets you that much closer to the swamps, so your Westbank dining experience can have the potential to be an eyeful. Diners at the Restaurant des Familles can glimpse alligators lurking in the nearby Bayou des Familles, while folks in the gravel parking lot outside of Mosca's sometimes spot wild boar emerging from the woods. Of course, other Westbank restaurants are as citi-fied as the ones on the other side of the bridge, and all of them are just as tasty. Clementine’s Belgian Bistro 2505 Whitney Ave. Gretna, LA 70056 504-366-3995 Belgian food isn’t something you’ll find a lot of in these parts, so Clementine’s is already worth a trip. The “best fries in the world” are served with your choice of dipping sauces, and mussels are on the menu in many different ways. Sweet and savory crepes are also a treat, as is the decent Belgian beer list. Fondue makes an appearance, and the pork cordon bleu is a lunchtime favorite. Café Zen 2112 Belle Chasse Hwy. Gretna, LA 70053 504-393-2293 A casual, laid-back atmosphere means you can bring a date or your kids here. The sushi is reputed to be some of the best in the city, and the sushi chefs will make recommendations for you based on your tastes. Friendly, fast and personal service usually turn first-timers into repeat customers. Mosca’s 4137 Hwy. 90 W. Westwego, LA 70094 504-436-9942 These days, Mosca’s hard-to-find supperclub is run by Johnny and Mary Jo Mosca. Like any real Italian restaurant, of course, Johnny is the son of Provino Mosca, who originally opened the restaurant with his wife in 1946 after leaving one of the same name behind in Chicago. The menu is small and set in its ways, but that just means they’ve had 60 years to perfect their never-been-shared recipes for things like Chicken a la Grande and Chicken Cacciatore. Don’t bother asking, because Johnny and Mary Jo never confirm or deny their alleged mofia ties. Your job is to try to remember to save room for dessert. And bring cash; they still don’t accept credit cards, and probably never will. They did, however, start taking reservations, unless it’s a Saturday. Olive Branch Café 1995 Barataria Blvd. Marrero, LA 70072 504-348-2008 website Founded in 1997 by Russell Autry (Rusty to his friends and customers), The Olive Branch Café is THE gourmet pizza restaurant in Marrero. Although he is young, Rusty has plenty of restaurant experience and it shows. He knows the key to any restaurateur’s success is being hands-on. The Olive Branch Café uses only the highest quality cheeses and the freshest ingredients possible. The pizza dough is prepared in house every day and no pizza is prepared until you order it. Restaurant des Familles 7163 Barataria Blvd. Marrero, LA 70072 504-689-7834 website Set right against Bayou des Familles and with lots of windows in the cypress dining room, Restaurant des Familles offers the unique opportunity to see swamp wildlife in their natural habitat while dining on fresh seafood from the nearby waters. Just 30 minutes away from the French Quarter, reservations are strongly recommended for dinner or the bayou brunch. New Orleans Food & Spirits 2330 Lapalco Blvd. Harvey, LA 70058 504-362-0800 Reasonable prices and consistently good food make New Orleans Food & Spirits a very popular Westbank restaurant. The Voodoo crawfish rolls are highly recommended, as is the grilled tuna and fried seafood platter. The hushpuppies are a free and tasty alternative to the usual restaurant’s warm bread, and their bread pudding has pineapple in it. There are other locations on the Northshore and in Metairie.