Ciccio Cincin

"Ciccio Cincin is an Italian restaurant in the West Village—one of the most reliable genres of date night spots that exist. But it’s not your standard red sauce and barolo joint—some Chinese (and other Asian) flavors are incorporated into the menu. A few applications feel forced and fall flat, like a miso-roasted eggplant with freshly grated truffle, or the paccheri with Sichuan cacio e pepe. Others, like the mafalde with duck ragú, spiked with fruity hoisin and napa cabbage, seamlessly blends the flavors and feels totally at-place. With candle light bouncing off concrete walls, music that’s not so loud that you can’t tell the person across from you how you feel, and an approachable wine list, Ciccio Cincin should be in your date night rotation. photo credit: Patrick Dolande photo credit: Patrick Dolande photo credit: Patrick Dolande Food Rundown photo credit: Patrick Dolande Jiaozi Al Cinghiale Stuffed with a rich pork ragú, these dumplings are a great way to start your meal, and introduce you to the kinds of mashups you’re about to be eating. photo credit: Will Hartman Gnudi Not every dish has Chinese flavors in it, and the gnudi are one example. Essentially balls of ricotta and spinach doused in a butter and sage sauce, these are a great vehicle to ingest butter…and cheese. photo credit: Patrick Dolande Melanzana Miso e Tartufo This starter didn’t work for us. The miso and truffle flavors were vying for supremacy, but in the end, neither won out. photo credit: Will Hartman Mafalde Al Sugo d'Anatra Our favorite pasta on the menu. The fruity sweetness of the hoisin in the ragú melds perfectly with the stewed duck. photo credit: Patrick Dolande Chitarra Ai Ricci Di Mare A sweet, vibrant tomato sauce gets a punch of brine via nori and uni on these chewy chitarra noodles. Make sure to keep some bread to swipe your bowl clean. photo credit: Patrick Dolande Paccheri Con Cacio e Pepe Cacio e pepe is a fine art, and unfortunately Ciccio Cincin doesn’t nail theirs. The numbing sichuan peppercorns dominate the pecorino here, and there are enough great pastas on this menu that you can rest easy skipping this one." - Will Hartman

Chinese Italian hybrid