Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia, Milan

Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia, 9/26/2015, 140 Euro
 
It was started by the couple Aimo and Nadia 50 years ago and currently managed by the 2^nd generation. It is decorated with strong contemporary style, including paintings on the wall and furnishings. It is located on the edge of Milano, a block away from the metro exit. I decided to choose the 7-course Tasting menu. I also requested for changes of two items on the menu. 

 

 

Amuse Bouche – A small taste like a prologue

1). Pumpkin cream, topped with almond cream and basil, in olive oil

2). Fresh tomato, burrata cheese, roasted bread chunk at the bottom (covered by tomato) and caper

3). Mussel with buffalo cheese, roasted tomato, sliced dry porcini and chick pea powder – Mussel was plump. Using buffalo cheese and porcini made a well-balanced overall taste. Among the three amuse bouche, this is the best. 

 

1^st Course - Mothia Salt Games: raw sea bream from Ligurian Sea, citron from Calabria, Sicilian pistachio mayonnaise, green celery and water-cress

Sea bream was served raw, it was fresh. The most tasteful item in the plate was the roasted water-cress. The baby green leave on top was turnip sprout leave. The orange piece of the right hand side of the plate was bergamot. It was a pleasant dish to start with.

 

Bread spelt, Tiracci, mix grain, mix flour and grissini were served

Sesame crisp and fig crisp 

2^nd Course – That’s Raviolo! Raw crispy cuttle-fish from Adriatic Sea, lemon marmalade, smoked scamorza cheese and beetroot granité

Cuttle-fish was thinly sliced, so thin like a veil that they were transparent to see-thru what was underneath. Raviolo was made with squid ink and cream. Beet ice cream, almond cream, lemon marmalade were served on the side. To enhance flavor, squid ink powder was sprinkled over the plate. Cuttle-fish slices were well prepared, fresh and tasty. I later found out from the head chef that Raviolo was in frozen condition first to ease the difficulties in handling. This was certainly a delicious dish.

 

3^rd Course – Rice (Carnaroli variety) with Nocellara olive oil, purple shrimp, Apulian tomato, oregano from Vendicari and capers from Pantelleria

 

Carnaroli rice was served with raw shrimp (It was named purple shrimp), roasted tomato, basil leaves, caper and dill. What appeared to be in orange color spots were shrimp head juice. I sucked shrimp head juice whenever there were fresh shrimp served, but never thought of using it as an ingredients. This was a creative way of full-utilization of shrimp.

4^th Course – Fantasy of fish & shellfish of the day flavored with aromatic herbs, served with white beans from Maremma cooked in earthenware pot

This course was comprised of raw fish and shellfish, including Red Mullet, shrimp, baby squid. They were served with white bean sauce, roasted tomato, baby basil and shrimp head juice in orange color. It looked like the head chef like to use shrimp head juice.

 

5^th Course – Pate with pigeon and duck liver. Pate made with pigeon and duck liver, flavored with white truffle paste by Grazioli, with hot brioche bread

 

 

I could taste white truffle flavor in the pate. It was served with white truffle sauce, chestnut sauce, kiwi, mustard marmalade and dry water cress. I noticed the yellowish color of brioche. After meal, I found out from the head chef the yellow color was from the specially treated eggs. I have not found out what kind of egg?

6^th Course  - Tenderloin of veal Fassone breed in a light panure of chamomile and red onion with carrot in raspberry vinegar

Veal tenderloin was broiled with sprout bread crumb on top. It was served with celery, almond, dill, bergamot. Sauce was made of tomato, chamomile and veal sauce. Diced porcini was wrapped in potato fillet and baby carrot was cooked in raspberry vinegar with a cute piece of baby basil on top. Veal was not tender enough, especially after I had the best pigeon in Da Vittorio the day before. The tastiest ingredient was the carrot. 

Cheese

36-month Parmigiano Reggiano cheese served with whole wheat brioche and roasted tomato.

 

Pre-desert

It was a cute looking lolly pop made of melon flour and apricot for the dough and prickled pear for the filling. I later saw different color of lolly pop made with different flavors.

 

Desert – Black Lemon: Sorrento lemon cream, lime foam, and ‘loomi’ powder, with Apulian almond milk

A small portion of almond milk was served in a glass. In addition, a multi-layered lemon tart in a plate. Starting from the bottom, a layer of cookie dough, a layer of white chocolate and lemon cream flavored with San Remo Lemoncello from Liguria, a layer of dark chocolate, and a layer of lemon meringue sprinkled with black lemon (from Sorrento) powder. This lemon tart was so flavorful. I hate to say it was better than what I had at Osteria Francescana. The best part of the lemon was the meringue. It was lemony, refreshing, creamy but not too rich. I tried but the manager wouldn’t not give me the recipe for the meringue. This was my favorite course in this meal.

 

 

Petit Four

From left to right – beet-flavored marsh-mellow, mini-cannoli, mini-chocolate tart

 

This restaurant’s food taste better than Sadler’s even though both have earned 2 Michelin stars and affiliated with Relais and Chateau. Among what I ordered, seafood dishes seemed to be better than meat dishes. Its lemon tart definitely is the best. During the meal, I noticed the dining room staff moved around with very fast pace. After the meal, I found out it has 14 kitchen staff to serve 50 guests (max capacity). Without of doubt, the owner kept a very close eye on the operating cost.