One of my favorite U.S. restaurants is La Ciccia in San Francisco. It is authentic Sicilian restaurant. Only a few tables and is family owned. The food was so delicious as was the Sicilian wine. If you want to taste Sicily before making final decision, a meal at La Ciccia will convince you to go. Even when I am in Venice, I look for Sicilian tomatoes, oranges.
I visited Taormina in the '80's before it became a major tourist destination and it was lovely and uncrowded. I say, go. Don't see a downside.