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Le Delizie di Cagliostro
Corso Vittorio Emanuele 150 Cuisines: ItalianAbout
The restaurant that bears his name celebrates the dubious achievements of Sicily's most successful (and, ultimately, tragic) swindler, Giuseppe Balsamo (alias Count Cagliostro; 1743-95). His mystical mumbo jumbo and sleight of hand looted the purses and pride of commoners and aristocrats (including Marie Antoinette) alike, earning him a respected place in the pantheon of noteworthy Sicilian rogues. Set on a busy boulevard in a commercial neighborhood, the restaurant boasts vaulted 18th-century ceilings covered with trompe l'oeil frescoes. Once you get past the overweening presence of the ghost of the count, you can sit back and enjoy the cuisine. Market-fresh ingredients go into dishes such as risotto with shrimp, cream, and curry; mushroom-stuffed crepes; and that Palermo favorite, pasta with fresh sardines. The platter of grilled vegetables, their flavors enhanced with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, is succulent.
