Umbria is the only region of the Italian peninsula that does not border the sea.  So where does one go for a great seafood meal?  Da Massimo – named after the chef and owner and located on the shores of Lake Trasimeno.  From the moment we entered this bright, bustling restaurant with a view of the lake from its glass-enclosed terrace, I knew we had chosen well. Within ten minutes of their 12:30 opening on this pleasant Sunday afternoon, the terrace was already full or reserved.  No complaints, however, from our table inside with its cheerful melon-colored walls, beneath a beamed and vaulted ceiling.

From an extensive wine list, co-owner Maurizio selected for us, at our request – a Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC, a straw-colored wine that whispers subtly of fruit and flowers.  Following a mixed seafood antipasto that included steamed clams and mussels, I ordered what we had come for – their homemade gnocchi with a cream scampi sauce, a delicate sauce with a hint of “hot” and a hint of “sweet.”  When the second course offerings made deciding difficult, we opted for the fried seafood platter that more than satisfied.  No room for dessert here, but a chilled stemware glass of lemon sorbet made a perfect ending.

Sunday lunch as prepared by Massimo over the years has obviously become a tradition with the locals.  So arrive early and linger long…