Pentolaccia time!

If you ever happen to be in Le Marche (maybe shopping around the outlets and shoe factories), you must stop by Civitanova Marche, a town in the Adriatic, famous also for its shoe market which takes place on Saturdays in the main square and neighboring streets. The shoes you find there are very good quality because some of them come directly from the factories in the area and the prices are also good!

But the main purpose to come to Civitanova Marche is to have a pentolaccia. What? Pentolaccia is a delicious seafood dish that consists in mixing different kinds of shellfish (mussels, clams, oysters), shrimps, squids, crabs, etc. with handmade pasta and a delicate tomato sauce (optional).
The best place I have eaten it at is called L'Oasi and it is located in the southern promenade of the town (lungomare sud), it's right by the sea, they also have sunbeds and umbrellas in the beach during the summer. The atmosphere of the place is relaxed, it has windows overlooking the beach, air conditioning and friendly service.

The pentolaccia is the main attraction of the place, you can see the guy preparing the pasta with his hands at the entrance of the restaurant (but also the other fish dishes are worth trying, like the mussels sauteed or the grilled fish).They bring it in a cart in a big pan and they prepare your dish being careful to divide it in equal parts.
The house's wine comes from a local winery called Rio Maggio, the Falerio (white, obviously) is a cheap and good choice to pair with the pentolaccia, but of course they have other options.

Pentolaccia

The prices are good, the fish is the freshest you can get and the portions are hearty. A must-visit if you are in the area. Pentolaccia for 2, a bottle of mineral water and a bottle of the house's Falerio is 45 euro (April 2012).

If you want to book your table:
Trattoria L'Oasi
Lungomare Piermanni 14
Civitanova Marche (MC)
Tel. +39 0733 816396
e-mail: info@loasi.com
http://www.ristorantespecialitapesce.com/
Open all year round, closed on tuesdays.