I finally went to one of the most iconic restaurants in Italy: Dal Pescatore in Canneto sull’Oglio, which is a small town close to Mantua. In 1925 Antonio Santini, a fisherman working on the Oglio river, decided to open an osteria and name it ‘Dal pescatore’ (in Italian it means at the fisherman’s): it’s still owned and managed by the family who brought Dal Pescatore to one of the highest expressions of Italian cuisine. Talented chef Nadia Santini leads the kitchen and she’s the first woman to be awarded with 3 Michelin stars.
When we arrived to the restaurant the owner Antonio Santini gave us a very warm and friendly welcome that made me feel at home (before going there I feared I would be intimidated to be in such a sacred place). We had a drink before lunch and Nadia came to say hello: from her bright eyes and solid handshake I felt the passion, the force and the motivation of the person who’s considered the world’s best female chef.
And then the show started. Traditional Mantua cuisine presented at its highest level with an innovation flavor. Their most amazing and famous dish is tortelli stuffed with pumpkin, amaretto, white watermelon mostarda and parmesan cheese. I have been eating tortelli with pumpkin for at least 20 years in my tours around this area, but I’ve never tasted something like this: they are just perfect.

Menu 2015: Couleurs d’Italie © Sg
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