Trattoria Milanese

Corso Buenos Aires, Milan, June 3, 2010—

LINDSEY WANTED TRADITIONAL Milanese cuisine today, and so did I, and we wanted to introduce Francesca to it, so we researched Osterie d'Italia to no immediate gratification, and then looked on the Web, where we found what looked like just the place.

Alas, Our Lady of the Dashboard, the GPS in our rented car, could not find it. We could not find it. The people at the restaurant could not explain where it was. After another long futile drive Mr. di Carlo was finally forced to throw in the towel and cancel the reservation. Lindsey said, Why not just go to Santa Marta.

We first ate at the Ristorante Marta many years ago, with our friends Richard and Marta (!) and Dominique as I recall, and we've been back from time to time. It's a nice restaurant on the via Santa Marta, just off the Duomo, in the center of town. And there's a trattoria on the other side of the street. You go to Ristorante Marta and look at the menu, and then you look at Trattoria Milanese across the street, and you make up your mind.

Increasingly we've wound up at Trattoria Milanese, which is of course perfect for traditional Milanese cuisine. So today we had some little artichokes à la Grècque, and we split a vitello tonnato, and went on to perfect, creamy Risotto alla Milanese with just the right touch of saffron, and then Cotellete Milanese, veal scallopine breaded, fried in olive oil, and served with lemon. Who needs dessert or cheese?

Vino bianco in caraffa

Trattoria Milanese, via S. Marta 11, Milan