The restaurant in Gabicce Monte, born from an old dance hall and pizzeria, recreates the seaside atmosphere of our past in a deeply contemporary key, thanks to the cuisine of Davide Di Fabio, who offers his profound reflection on the (true) renewal of tradition.
The story
Where there used to be a dance hall, today there is one of the most entertaining restaurants in Italy. A concept restaurant that has transformed Gabicce Monte, once known as the Capri of the Adriatic, perched on a balcony overlooking the sea, where Marche and Romagna dance the same dance, into a gourmet destination.
A surprising story, written by Allegra Tirotti Romanoff and Stefano Bizzarri, with the collaboration of chef Davide Di Fabio, who spent sixteen years in the kitchen of Italy's most influential restaurant, Massimo Bottura's Osteria Francescana, on which he left his light but persistent mark. The three opened Dalla Gioconda in 2021, breathing new life into a faded venue where Gabicce locals and tourists came to cool off when the heat was unbearable, eat simple pizzas that were a far cry from gourmet fare, and dance to music. This was Gabicce, and this was a destiny that seemed immutable.
After the pandemic reset, Allegra and Stefano decided to transform that place into a seed of change for the whole of Gabicce Monte, a change that would not betray the genius loci. “We fell in love with this place, its sunsets, and the paths that lead from the hills to the beaches. Ours is a journey, a path that aims to demonstrate our love for this land,” say the couple, who also got married here in 2022, as if to seal their stories to this land.
They transformed that dance hall into a charming hotel, which new rooms distributed throughout the village have made widespread. They decided to give the entire project a strong sustainable imprint, aware that in the third decade of the third millennium no enterprise can begin without putting respect for the planet first. They opened a restaurant, entrusting the kitchen to Davide, and began to manufacture a sort of brand-new nostalgia, an operation that was a little reckless from a purely ideological point of view, but—now we can say—perfectly successful thanks to the idea of preserving the sense of the place and its past. A sort of modernism that is also gastronomic.
This act of conscious melancholy for the future, with an almost cinematic flavor, is achieved through the skillful use of certain details: the neon sign at the entrance, the dreamy atmosphere of a dance hall that still lingers in the air, the restaurant menu contained in a 1950s LP, with a clearly and proudly retouched image of Gabicce (“Dalla Gioconda Dancing Edizione 3”), the pre-stamped postcard (“Greetings from Gabicce Monte”) that you find on the table and can fill out, address to someone and have sent, or keep as a souvenir, one of those you take home after your vacation, along with a hat you'll never wear and sand in your shoes.
The chef and his philosophy
Davide Di Fabio's cuisine contributes magnificently to this “Sapore di sale” atmosphere. He is someone who has also worked as a DJ (fortunately for us, he then changed jobs) and brings his impeccable technique, especially in sauces, his lightness, his profound culture, and his precision in cooking to the restaurant. But also that strange form of irony that leads us to legitimize tradition—and even celebrate it—by good-naturedly poking fun at it, as we do with our best friend.
And then there is that certain idea of sustainability, not brandished as a slogan but made up of concrete practices – Dalla Gioconda is the first restaurant in Italy to declare itself totally “plastic free” and boasts Leed Golf certification for its architectural solutions – which has earned it, in addition to a red Michelin star, a green one too. “To talk about the future,” says Di Fabio, “you need to know the past. Without historical memory, you cannot lay the foundations for tomorrow. I like to re-create starting from a deconstruction, from a recovery of the flavor matrix of certain dishes from memory, and then reconstruct them not as they were originally but make something new, recreate them, in fact, bringing them to life in a new era of a changing world.”
Then, of course, there is the way in which all these words, all these good intentions, are transformed into dishes to eat. Di Fabio is a staunch Italianist, speaking the same language as all the generations that preceded him in his profession. He trusts nature and the seasons, honoring and respecting what the sea and the land bring (the property also has a natural vegetable garden that supplies the pantry), but with more study behind him and the awareness of someone who acts for the best and not because that's how it's always been done.
I opened the disc, which, as mentioned, serves as a menu, and found myself choosing between the “New Releases” menu at 140 euros, the anthology menu “Hit Parade” (110), a Tavolo d'Oro at 160, which is a kind of chef's table, and, of course, a menu to peruse. Frankly, I preferred to rely on Davide, who guided me through the various options.
The dishes
I really loved the raw amberjack in unripe apricot sauce, and, still on the subject of apricots (sustainability also means doing away with the silly idea that the same ingredient cannot be used in two different dishes. You work with what the season offers) the surprising roasted apricots with thyme and sea urchins, a dish that was nothing short of surprising. Then there is the Marche-style tartare and pink shrimp with black truffle and citrus broth, grilled glazed sweetbread with sour cream and gremolada, the faux Cacio e Pepe (spaghetti tossed with pine nut milk, anchovy sauce, juniper, and pepper, which effortlessly achieves the robust flavor of the Roman classic through different means), Paccheri al sugo??? in which the three question marks are not the result of a stuck key but serve to emphasize that there is no trace of tomato in the aforementioned “sauce,” but instead there is an ingredient that is only revealed after tasting (it would be a real shame to spoil it for you).
A separate chapter is dedicated to the Zuppiera di pasta e pesci dell’Adriatico (Adriatic seafood and pasta soup), perhaps Di Fabio's most famous dish. As a native of Abruzzo (although born in Rho), he draws inspiration from a dish from his homeland, Virtù Teramane, which plays on long cooking times and the number seven: seven vegetables and legumes there, seven different types of pasta here, with as many legumes and types of fish. It's a lot of work, but a real pleasure, not least because, contrary to the codes of haute cuisine, the portion is finally generous and the soup tureen is left on the table so that you can help yourself to seconds. And who wouldn't want to? A message to the world of fine dining: it's time to rediscover joy, flavor, and generosity.
I finish my meal with a Tarte Tatin made with crescia sfogliata and peaches, accompanied by a Banana vanigliata, which ultimately represents another play on nostalgia, evoking a time when this fruit was the epitome of exoticism, and Squacquerone caramelized with orange blossom essence. The wine cellar is managed by the talented sommelier Nicolas Bratti and boasts 1,600 labels collected in an intimidatingly large wine list that lists labels from the local area and the most advanced wine-producing regions in the world, with a particular focus on Champagne and Burgundy. The service is in keeping with the rest, languid and smiling but impeccable.
The restaurant is spread over two floors and can seat around fifty diners. The interior, personally designed by Allegra, is made from high-quality local materials, including pink Furlo stone, wood, brass, and natural Brioni terracotta. There is a small art gallery at the entrance and a small cinema in the basement. And down on the coast, just ten minutes away, is Bagni Maristella 45, with around thirty beach umbrellas and a chiringuito serving local delicacies.
ADDRESS
Dalla Gioconda
Via dell'Orizzonte, 2, 61011 Gabicce Monte PU
Phone: 0541 962295
