 "La ciccia" means "baby fat" or, as Italian native Lorella Degan puts it, "sweet fat." Count on acquiring a few ounces of it at the thriving neighborhood restaurant she co-owns with her husband, Sardinian chef Massimiliano Conti. Together the couple charms an eager crowd of regulars in the small, pool-blue dining room where conversation reaches a boisterous tempo (partly thanks to a fabulous wine list, heavy in Sardinian Vermentino) and no one is ever rushed. Conti's beloved island is far enough culturally and geographically from Italy to have its own language; the food is simple, seasonal, sea-salty and saffron-kissed, with a traditional penchant for earthy flavors as well as oceanic influences. Al dente wafers of carrot, potato and radish bolster a seafood salad, served lemony, at room temperature, and lively with tender squid. Wafers of cauliflower make a surprising, sophisticated appearance atop rich "spaghittusu" pressed with bottarga---a "poor man's caviar" made from mullet roe. Sensuous, salted pools of olive oil collect at the bottom of each plate to be sopped up by hunks of bread; whether they choose the house mozzarella, house-cured salumi, mint-braised tuna or lamb, diners inevitably leave here tasting the sea on their lips.
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Splurging at top-rated restaurants is fun for special events, but where can you go for a good quality meal that won't break the bank? Gather the change out of your piggy bank and sofa cushions and take it to one of our selections for the best cheap eats in your area. Also, check out our picks for the Top 40 Cheap Eats in the U.S.
