Cacio E Vino

Justin Hartung

Citysearch

The Scene
Dark wood, flickering candlelight and black-and-white photos of Sicily may be bella cliches for Italian restaurants in the East Village, but the brightly colored pizza oven makes quite an impression. Unfortunately, so does the haphazard service. Dates play footsie at the back tables, while groups share pies in the window seating up front.

The Food
The Sicilian fare starts off strong with a basket of flatbread to dip in an addictive mix of tomatoes and olives with just the right hint of sardines. Tender, perfectly charred grilled octopus and a refreshing salad of crispy fennel and orange ramp up expectations, but overcooked, underseasoned homemade pasta with artichokes and a too-heavy plate of short ribs, sausage and polenta disappoint. Pizza from the wood-burning oven is a knockout, however. The thin crust is crisp enough to withstand any combination of toppings--spicy sausage, gooey mozzarella and fresh basil make the Capricciosa a particularly irresistible pie.