Pulse News Mexico photo/Thérèse Margolis

By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS

Mexico’s City’s premiere Sicilian restaurant, María 138, turned six on Thursday, Aug. 25, and its owner, Cristina Maria Cialona, in true Sicilian (and true Cristina Maria Cialona) style, celebrated the occasion with an “intimate” gathering of some 150 of her closest friends, with a lavish night of pizza and prosecco Bellinis.

And also true to Cristina Maria Cialona style, the menu included far more than pizza and Bellinis.

In fact, the seemingly endless parade of homemade dishes included fried calamari with lemon, eggplant caponata and home-cured olives in garlic, parley and virgin olive oil.

The drink menu also extended way beyond the oh-so-tasty prosecco Bellinis to include limoncello mojitos and a special brew of porter beer commissioned by Cialona to mark the anniversary.

For entertainment, there was a live band performing Italian pop music, and, in between sets, the restaurant was filled with the alternating sounds of the Beach Boys and Louis Armstrong, making for an eclectic night that was as divine and delicious as Cialona’s and her mother’s authentic Sicilian cooking.