22/03/2024: Good food, nice experience, but I wouldn't go back. This is because the food was good, but I wasn't crazy about it. All deliberately complicated, intellectual, but a pinch of extra flavor was missing. And they definitely need to work on desserts. The first courses, however, were very good, especially the lamb & artichoke pappardelle. Excellent wine list, especially for Gravner.
12/03/2024: We are in via Mercalli, I knew the street for work reasons, I passed this restaurant very often, always during the day, thinking "I have to come there in the evening": I'm not exactly passing through, so we waited a bit before going .
The wrought iron door suggests that you are about to leave via Mercalli and enter another world, have faith: it will actually be like this. You will be welcomed with great hospitality by the staff, including the chef's wife, you will immediately feel at ease: thanks to a warm, welcoming, but at the same time intriguing, interesting environment, with sometimes exotic details (we will also find this in the dishes).
To make you understand how well you can feel in that environment, 2 of us ate at a long table for 6 people, jokingly at the beginning we defined it as "presidential": we didn't perceive for a second any sensation of discomfort (as it could be in other places).
First positive note: the wine list, rarely in restaurants of this caliber can you find the combination of a well-stocked list with prices without stratospheric increases. Super appreciated.
Let's move on to the menu: three menu proposals (one also vegetable, super 👍🏼) + one based on the chef's sentiment of "let yourself be guided".
Alternatively, two further possibilities: choose 2 courses + dessert or 3 courses + dessert. You can also make tasting menus individually (what a rarity!), this choice is also very appreciated, the objective is clear: the guest must be at ease.
I believe the menu can be summed up as a journey through the life and various stages of the Chef. You will find the contamination of the Nordic countries in the calibrated use of beetroot or foie gras from Corte dell'Oca, but also the Mediterranean sun in the use of burnt liquorice powder or in the freshness of grapefruit, as well as the tropical notes of cocoa, of chocolate.
Chef Eugenio Boer was born in 1978, has been in the kitchen since he was 12 years old and evidently still loves playing with the elements of the garden and therefore you might happen to try Belgian endive as a dessert and enjoy it together with almond ice cream ; It could also happen that you put a tiny piece of broccoli soaked in an evidently phantasmagoric vinegar in your mouth: a pure explosion of flavour.
There's no shortage of butter, don't worry, it's here too: the "variation" proposed is interesting. Sophisticated indeed, it once again lets the attention to detail shine through. Details together with elegance are the true common thread of the entire evening, you will find them in the dishes as well as in the detail of the napkins or paper used.
A truly special evening, decidedly high quality service, despite some initial difficulties: present, but never intrusive, friendly and always available for explanations.
In conclusion, the chef in the dining room gave a pleasant greeting to the guests. Always welcome.
Negative note: I would have expected perhaps something more on the coffee, more in line with the rest of the dinner, something particular, together with sugar or sweetener.
Absolutely recommended, I don't understand, frankly, how it doesn't have a star: it's definitely superior to many other starred ones - on the other hand, they'll forgive me, it's better this way, I'll still be able to enjoy it at really advantageous prices. :)
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