Ristorante Trussardi alla Scala, Milan

Ristorante Trussardi alla Scala, Milan, Italy, 9/23/2015, 50 Euro, Michelin 1-star

Trussardi alla Scala, offers sophisticated French-Italian cuisine. It used to have 2 stars and lost one star because of the departure of previous chef. You can see the side view of alla Scala Opera House if you happen to have a table by the window.

I had a la carte lunch. The restaurant provided complementary amuse bouche and petit fours.

First, a colorful bowl of crisps were brought over as a starter. They were polenta crisps with different flavors – tomato (in orange color). Spinach (in green color), original (in light yellow color), squid ink (in purple color) and black (black rice). Black rice crisp was made of overcooked black rice which was then pressed into paste, dried, cut into pieces and fried. These crisps had the appearance as well as the taste. They were much tastier than the potato chips as the starter. 

Amuse Bouche

I. 1) Fried Anchovies – very fresh and tender

   2) Crispy Foccacio – ultra thin slice of waffle with goat cheese, sprinkled with chopped   prosciutto ham and covered by an arugula leave.

II. Liquid Pizza – It looked like a pizza, except it was in liquid form with mozzarella cheese, basil leaves, baby oregano and burned red onions. I requested for some parmigiana cheese, but was informed by my server that liquid pizza should be eaten without parmigiana cheese.

1^st Course - Spaghetti “cacio e pepe” with sea-urchins

This has been one of Trussardi’s signature dishes. The type of spaghetti used in this dish looked like #8 in US. It was cooked medium (al dente), definitely not soft. The cooked spaghetti were swirled to shape like a small cone, then topped with sauce made of tomato, three different types of pepper, sea urchin. Daikon sprout, parsley, dill and shredded pecorino cheese were placed on top for garnishing. Sea urchin was not half cooked, when mixed with tomato and cheese, made the overall taste very pleasing.

2^nd Course – Monk Fish with Kumquat and Curry

Monk fish was seared, then broiled, served with sliced wedges of kumquat, mustard, kumquat jelly and fresh herbs. At the bottom, it was lentil cooked with broth. In the plate, there was also some curry powder. I liked the fused taste of curry powder with fish and other ingredients in this course. 

Petit Four – 3 categories

1). Salted peanut with bitter cocoa. I am usually not too crazy about peanut. But, the way peanut was prepared, it was the best peanut-based desert that I have ever had.

2). a).Mini-croissant with hazelnut cream;

     b).Chocolate madeleine with strawberry filling

     c).Pomegranate jelly candy – it was very good  

     d).Macaroon with rice Sake filling – a creative taste

3). a). Cocoa powder covered chocolate truffle

     b). Raspberry flavored marshmallow

     c). Chocolate tart – mini baba rhum

 

The petit four were all with high quality and tasty. I considered this lunch a bargain.