A little Sicily, in Cambridge la nostra storia
Sicily sits at the middle of the Mediterranean, and for three thousand years everyone who sailed past left something in its kitchen. This is a trattoria that cooks from that island, a long way north of it.
The island on the plate
Greek olive trees, Arab sugar and citrus, Spanish tomatoes, and the sea on every side. Sicilian cooking tastes of all of it at once.
It is why our caponata is sweet and sour, why the Siciliana pizza carries anchovies, capers and olives, and why the cannoli are filled with ricotta and finished with pistachio. It is why the aubergine turns up again and again: fried and layered in the Parmigiana, rolled into involtini, folded through rigatoni alla Norma with baked ricotta.
From Messina comes the braciola: chicken rolled around cheese and breadcrumbs and grilled. From the islands off the north coast comes the Insalata Eoliana, with capers and olives. And from the harbour, the linguine allo scoglio, named for the rocks of the shore, heavy with mussels, clams and prawns.
Made by hand fatto a mano
The bread is homemade. The tagliatelle is fresh. The meatballs are slow-cooked in tomato until the sauce has taken everything they have to give.
Nothing here is in a hurry. Risotto is stirred, not rushed. The polpette della casa come with bread for the plate, because leaving sauce behind would be a waste. Ask about the dishes of the day: there is usually something on the board that didn’t make it onto the printed menu.
The room
Along the back wall, a painted harbour: turquoise water, fishing boats, a town stacked up the hill.
The tables are laid with white cloths and small posies. Cart wheels hang on the walls, the chairs are dark wood, and a living wall of green and flowers frames the door. There is a long table by the window for birthdays and big families, and a little one by the mural for two.
Where the colours come from il carretto siciliano
On the old oak dresser, between the olive oil and the clock, stands a little painted cart.
For a century and more, Sicilian carts were painted from wheel to shaft: red and yellow and blue, with scenes of knights and old stories on the side panels, and wheels turned and carved like furniture. They carried lemons, wine and wedding parties, and every one was a piece of folk art.
This website is painted the same way. The yellow is the cart’s, the blue is the island’s maiolica, and the wheel in the corner of every page turns as you scroll.
A tavolasi sta insieme
“At the table, we are together.” Half the menu is meant to be passed around.
The Antipasto Siciliano is whatever the kitchen has made that day. The Fritto mare comes piled high with calamari, whitebait and prawns. The two mixed grills, one of meat and one of fish, are built for the middle of the table, and the dessert board brings five sweets at once. Order more than you need. That is the Sicilian way.
Come and eat
A table for two, a long table for the family, or a bag of pizza boxes to take home. Call, message, or book online.
- Where
- Cambridge · directions
- When
- Call for today’s opening hours
- Call
- 07769 639958 · 07899 508261