What’s not? A slight lack of ambition. La Sicilia gets the basics so right that one would expect a creative flourish or a show-stopping speciality. Instead, it is firmly ensconced in journeyman territory — and sometimes stoops lower: The clam linguine were tasty, but they made it to our table with all the clam shells empty and the actual mollusks stranded amid the pasta. All Italians know that half the fun of clam linguine is plucking the animals out of the shells! 

Vibe: Sober, utilitarian, with muted pastel colors and a few Italian-accented ornaments. The menu runs the gamut from in-the-weeds Sicilian to pizzas. A few daily specials on tiny blackboards provide a much-needed frisson. 

Who’s picking up the check? The place isn’t outrageously expensive but neither is it cheap. Two pasta dishes, one parmigiana and a decent cannolo, plus sparkling water and two well-brewed espressos came to €76.

Spotted: Two friendly attachés from the Italian Permanent Representation to the European Union. That must count for something.

Insider tip: The aubergine parmigiana has hints of rebelliousness since it is topped with scamorza as opposed to the more usual mozzarella.

Fun fact: The restaurant is fairly new, having taken over from campy generic Italian eatery il Capriccio a couple of months ago.

How to get there: Walk along Rue de la Loi, and turn onto Rue des Deux Eglises. It’s just a couple of blocks down the road.

Review  published  on May 8, 2024. Illustration by Dato Parulava/POLITICO