Went to Sicily Osteria today for an early dinner.
Overall positive, given the location and the time. When we got there at around 5/5:15, the room was practically empty. By the time we left at 6:30, every table was occupied.
The service reflected a bit of manic, pre-theaterness – polite, but rushed. Our mains showed up about 2 mins after we ordered them – so they must have some pre-cooking / assembly line going in the kitchen for popular dishes.
On to what we ate.
Starters of a giant arancino and a burrata salad with artichokes were both good. The tomato sauce under the arancino was tasty, both then and when it reappeared with the mains.
My visiting friends both ordered chicken parm (yes, yes, not very Sicilian but the heart wants what it wants) which they were very pleased with. I ordered housemade spaghetti alla chitarra with crab in a lemon cream sauce, very nice and sporting a good portion of crab meat. The side of broccoli rabe had sadly had the flavor and texture boiled out of it.
For dessert, which I was oddly craving but neither of the others were, two of us shared the house specialty of frozen lemon mousse that is presented to look like an actual lemon, with several layers inside, and over a crumble base. This was intensely lemony and absolutely delicious, and no one could resist it.
All in all, a nice enough meal. I would go back if I had to eat Italian in the neighborhood, and to try Sicilian dishes. But it would be much more pleasant without the staff feeling rushed by the theater crowd. The lunch menu looks good.
