Cin-Cin

Frommer's Review

One of the culinary treasures of Palermo, this is a favorite spot with locals. Pronounced "chin-chin," the restaurant's name is the Italian version of the toast "Cheers!" and suggests the camaraderie found here behind an unpretentious facade. It's reached by going down a flight of steps off Via Libertà, in the section between the Giardino Inglese and the Teatro Politeama.

Some of the recipes have come down unchanged from Palermo's baroque period in the 19th century. Sample the seafood pastas, into which all sorts of sea creatures (shrimp, clams, mussels, sea urchins) are tossed with a succulent sauce. Sicilians often treat beef and lamb as sideshows to their antipasti, pastas, and seafood dishes, but here the chef gives full attention to turning out perfectly cooked and aromatically seasoned meats.

The owners, the Clemente family, once operated a restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Cin-Cin is the only restaurant in Sicily to offer such distinctly Louisiana dishes as oysters Rockefeller and chicken gumbo. Homemade Marsala and almond ice creams are a Cin-Cin specialty.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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