Taverna Di Cecco (no known website)

I am never sure what the restaurant owners are told on the phone when reservations are made by our new friends, but this guy was definitely told something about us reviewing restaurants on our blog because as we left he asked us to give him a good review. Well here it is! The restaurant is near the jousting stadium just this side of the bridge at Porta Maggiore. I had looked at this place several times when we walk to/from the train station, but could never make out just what kind of place it was. Lucky for us it is a tavern with incredible food, and the decor is reminiscent of Mideval times. Upon arrival we were directed up a steep set of steps to a private little tree-house sort of area just big enough for a table, two benches and a chair. We only had to traverse those steps twice during the evening but the waiter, waitress and owner that served us must be in really good shape as they were constantly running up and down them.

When we sat down and ordered the water and wine, they brought antipasto. Larry and I assumed that at most we might order a pizza, but that would be it. We were not aware that Cinzia had ordered a “menu degustazione” which is a sampling of the typical dishes they have on the menu (what we’d call grazing). So the beautifully presented, loving made dishes just kept coming and the feast went something like this.

House Rosso Piceno

Antipasto:

Prosciutto, homemade bread, tomato bruschetta

Primi & Secondi:

Carpaccio with parmesan and parsley
Speck with fennel and lemon
Potato leek soup with truffle
Raviolis stuffed with ricotta and spinach in a butter cream sauce
Timballo (what lasagna is called in Ascoli) made with crepes instead of pasta sheets, ground meat (I think pork), peas and besciamella

Dolce:

Plate with tasting of three desserts – panna cotta w/caramel, tiramisu, crepe filled with Nutella

Vino cotto (traditional dessert wine of the area) with cantucci to dip in it