Opened back in 2006, this magical place called Il Siciliano, was designed and executed down to each and every detail, to allow its visitors to be transformed in time and place, into the good old days of the charming Italian island of Sicily.

From the moment we entered this three-storied restaurant, we took the notion of its inviting ambiance, which is a mixture of traditional Sicilian casa architecture, Sicilian decoration and appealing aromas. Add to these, just the right touch of chic modernity in some details.

We were greeted with great hospitality that accompanied us throughout the evening. Our waiter was not only nice and friendly, but also very knowledgeable about each and every dish! It was our first time at Il Siciliano, and he was good enough to make us completely rely on him to choose the variety of dishes we ate through out our dinner… & everything we had was simply marvelous!

I never really dare to order seafood pasta or pizza anywhere, because I rarely end up liking it. It either is too salty, too dry, too raw (with non-fresh ingredients, so you could imagine the taste), or just too much of the other ingredients with only one tiny baby shrimp and a small piece of canned calamari to justify the name! However, Il Siciliano proved to be top of the line when it comes to Italian seafood dishes.

Each and every plate had been a feast by itself. Made with the freshest of herbs, vegetables lamb and seafood, with authentic olive oil, home-made pasta, and of course those several kinds luscious cheese and freshly made bread (that you won’t get enough of its smell!).

Here, take a look at some of what was on our table (but please, excuse my poor iPhone camera, and the dim – but nice - lighting of the place)

I personally mark Il Siciliano as one of the best ‘culinary spots’ in Beirut. It definitely is a must try for all of you who love traditional Italian food that is made to perfection at the Casa Della Sicilia, or even if you’re just looking for a nice quite outing, to enjoy a drink and a Cigar indoors at their Chicago Bar, or at their marvelous garden Giardino di Palermo, under an olive tree, enjoying lemon and rosemary scents.

One small remark: I’d have loved to listen to some traditional Italian folklore or opera music playing in the background, instead of the excessively long pauses that were interrupted with short pieces of the classics. It was only our first time there, I’m sure there must have been an explanation, like us showing up early for dinner, since usually in Lebanon, the ‘real’ outing starts at around 10.30pm & onwards

– Images that are not taken via my iPhone, are a courtesy of Il Siciliano.