Thanks to Monica Ramirez of Anam Communication who invited me to the itinerant tasting of Ca Botta wines I have discovered two crazy places where eating in Milan centre that I would like to recommend to you. Both venues in Milan are part of the EustachiORA wine district which, as the name suggests, revolves around Via Eustachi Milano. Both venues are less than 10 minutes away from the red line metro stop Porta Veneziabut practically next to the bus stop for bus 62 (it seems impossible, but in Milan buses run every minute) which takes you to the central station in 7 minutes.
Ca' Botta was the star of this aperitif in Milan in 5 stages, started in Bistrot Le Vert (via Eustachi 13 Milan, tel. 02 50308876) and continued to Solar Flavours Cocktail Bistro (Via Stoppani 11 Milan, tel. 02 36513702). Both are two nice places to eat in Milan where you can taste the wines of Ca'Botta, a winery in Verona that I didn't know about and that I hope to explore soon with an on-the-spot report because the wines from Veneto I really liked the ones I tried.
Where to eat in central Milan: Bistrot Le Vert
Via Eustachi, with its big trees, elegant buildings and places dotted with colourful curtains, reminds me of certain avenues in Paris and the bistrot Le Vert fits perfectly into its context. The place is beautiful both inside and out and there is a small room, the one where we had our aperitif, that is really delicious.
Ca Botta wines: Le Pergolette Garganega Bianco Veronese IGT 2019
This garganega is WONDERFUL. More mineral than the garganegas I have tasted recently, it is the wine I liked best of the touring tasting and I - riesling aside - have a predilection for red wines! It has a beautiful, bright, intense straw yellow colour, very consistent. The nose is fantastic, with mineral notes shading into herbs, flint, orange peel and bitter almond. In the mouth, it is consistent, warm and structured, with beautiful length. Thanks to its structure and aromaticity, it paired wonderfully with polenta with fontina cheese and tasty crostini with melted cheese and blueberry jam.
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Where to eat in Milan: I liked Bistrot Le Vert because...
The cheeses are really crazy and if you're looking for where to eat polenta in Milan, it's worth the trip just for the mix with fontina made by the owner's adopted Aosta Valley uncle. I find it the perfect place for a sundown aperitif with a colleague or friend after work, when Milan is tinged with pink and the streetlamps shyly light up, but also for brunch as a couple on a sunny Sunday at one of the outdoor tables. The chopping boards are simple, but delicious. I peeked at the à la carte menu and, although I don't agree with the choices of starters**, there are some really interesting proposals like the Crunchy Angus Burger and the Pulled Pork in Puccia. The service is impeccable.
**Why should I eat the pappardelle bolognese? And above all, who eats pappardelle in the Bolognese region? Pappardelle are eaten in Tuscan Romagna - my homeland - and in Tuscany and are not seasoned with ragù alla Bolognese, but with game ragù or porcini mushrooms. This dish is so much 'fettuccine Alfredo', spaghetti bolognese and menus for unsuspecting tourists, regardless of how well it is cooked. I would immediately remove it from the menu because, in my opinion, it is a fall in style that this splendid restaurant does not deserve.
Where to eat in central Milan: Sapori Solari Cocktail Bistrot
Combine the bistro formula with a sophisticated cocktail bar, and you have Sapori Solari Cocktail Bistrot: a place where a gourmet can spend a relaxing evening tickling the taste buds. Beautiful!
Ca Botta wines: Cerviero Rosso Veronese IGT 2016
The first thing I want to tell you about this wine is that it is INCREDIBLE value for money. On the winery's website, this good red wine from Veneto costs just €15. You can buy it with your eyes closed, really! Then I really appreciated the numbered bottle, for me it is a little attention to the customer that can make a moment special.
It has a beautiful impenetrable ruby red colour, very consistent. The nose is a triumph of chocolatey notes that blend with hints of ink, fresh cherries, black mulberry jam and pink pepper. In the mouth it is warm, soft, enveloping, structured and with tannin that allows it to age in the bottle for a few more years. The sip is long and has excellent drinkability. Easy to pair, it is perfect with fatty and/or savoury cold meats.
A red wine from the Veneto region to be truly proud of.
Where to eat in Milan: I liked Sapori Solari Cocktail Bistrot because ...
The atmosphere is really great! The soft lighting on the purple is both relaxing and enveloping, the little garden of succulents is a treat and if you are lucky you can find some quality live music. The real strength, however, is the raw material: the bistro makes up for the absence of a kitchen with a truly excellent selection of raw meat, raw fish and cured meats. If you are looking for a place to eat meat in Milan here you can find, for example, heavy pork sausage tartare, orange duck breast and Piedmontese Fassona tartare. If you are looking for a place to eat fish in Milan here you can find, for example, Mazara del Vallo red prawn tartare, red tuna tartare and prawns wrapped in giant pork crudo and Patanegra lard. Intriguing is the tapas formula, perfect for a fine aperitif.
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If you are looking for places where to eat Sunday lunch in Milan Bistrot Le Vert and Sapori Solari Cocktail Bistrot are both open until 3pm. Finally, if you are looking for a place to eat outdoors in Milan, Bistrot Le Vert has outdoor tables that are also ideal for a gloomy day in good company. If you know of any other place in Milan (particularly in the EustachiORA wine district) that is worth a visit, I would kindly ask you to tell me in a comment. I think I will go back to one of the two with my husband on the occasion of the Murubutu concert at theAlcatraz Milan to be held on Saturday 23 April 2022. In light of what I have written, which one do you think I will return to first? Let's see if you know me...
Cheers 🍷
Chiara
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