It's been 10 or 15 years since I've been in San Diego, but I remember a restaurant my friends and I visited more than once in the Little Italy section that specialized in "Sicilian" cuisine. Unfortunately, the name of the establishment escapes me (it probably isn't still in existence, truth be told). The staff was very friendly, and the food was very good and satisfying, although it wasn't reminiscent of the Sicilian cuisine I used to get in NY or NJ. Then again, I never really ate Italian cuisine anywhere on the West Coast (or anyplace else in America with the possible exception of an Italian restaurant outside of Chicago) that was remiscent of what I used to get on the East Coast (NY/NJ specifically). Sometimes the food was good enough, occasionally even very good, as in the case of the place in San Diego, but it wasn't comparable to what I grew up eating. Ironically enough, perhaps the best Italian food I ever ate out that way was at a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. It was a simple dish--- pasta and seafood, and it was delicious. Then again, I was drunk as a skunk at the time, and starving, so maybe my perception is a little bit skewed.