Update – Ristorante Piccolo Teatro (click here to go to website)

This is the restaurant we went to our very first night in Ascoli that is literally a half block away (and was once owned by the Frollos).  We didn’t expect them to be open on Sunday night, but as we walked by the owner was standing in the door and invited us in even though it was only 7:45. I believe in this case that the husband is the in the kitchen and the wife takes care of the customers.  Maybe because of all the people in town for the Quintana, they were open, and they are very smart because when we left almost all the 30 seats were taken.  Piccolo Teatro is rated #3 on TripAdvisor for good reason.

We only had two courses but they were fabulous.  I love giving you the Italian name of each dish from their menu because they are the longest item titles I’ve ever seen.  It’s not that we can read every word but enough to have an idea what it is and the rest is a surprise.

First a cold bottle of water and a nice local vino rosso.

Antipasto:

I ordered:  Flan di pecorino di fossa di sogliano dop e fungi porcini freschi dai boschi della laga.  A flan of pecorino (sheep’s milk) cheese with a sauce of cream and porcini mushrooms. OMG!

Larry ordered:  Millefoglie con cremosita al marscarpone e basilico, ratatouille di pomodorini e miele alla cannella.  Shards of puff pastry (a million leaves) with a marscarpone/basil cream and pieces of tomato flavored with honey and cinnamon between them.  Fabulous!

Secondo:

Both of us had:  Roast beef di vitellone marchigiano cotto all inglese con ruchetta e vellutata di tenera ascolana.  Wonderful choice for the end of a hot day.  Very thin slices of rare beef from the best white cows served slightly chilled, with arugula and what was like a creamy olive pesto. (Not like a tapenade, it was pulverized and mixed with cream or cheese.)  I’m out of adjectives!

After our second bottle of cold water we left and walked the piazzas which were buzzing with activity until late in the night.