From a gastronomic point of view, Milan has grown significantly and changed rapidly in the recent years. We have gone from risotto and Milanese cotoletta to sushi, sashimi and poke. Chinese and Japanese had already been on the food market for many years, but now Peruvians and Greeks, Lebanese and Indians, Koreans and Russians have joined. Of the approximately 15,000 foreign companies that deal with food in Italy, as many as 2,000 are in Milan and one in 3 Milanese eats ethnic food fifteen times a year. We have rounded up our favourite ethnic restaurants in the city for those in search of a break from traditional Italian cuisine.
1
ronin
The latest on the scene in Milan and certainly the most “eminent” of the ethnic restaurants in the city; even if defining it as ethnic is certainly limiting. Ronin is fusion par excellence; a Japanese matrix with the introduction of various influences and “contaminations” in both the atmosphere and the cuisine. The beautiful liberty building in Piazza Morselli hosts different entities among the various floors: food and drink, music, interior design, Italian and Japanese culture, art, fashion, all this is Ronin. The restaurant is spread over three floors where the both the cuisine and atmosphere is blend of Japanese and International. On the ground floor there is the Piccolo Ronin, Izakaya (tavern), where various tastings are served in a youthful and very lively atmosphere; there is also the Listening Bar with a collection of rare vinyls. Here the prices are very low. On the first floor Robatayaki is Ronin’s beating heart. A relatively classic restaurant with unconventional lighting and furnishing. Here, chef Luigi Nastri prepares dishes such as tuna belly or Canadian royal beef on a Japanese-style barbecue. A signature dish is risotto with robato-style lacquered eel and mandarin. The service is excellent, discreet, efficient where music is an inevitable “side dish”. The second floor is perhaps the most original of the place: here four private rooms with screens and microphones are the realm of karaoke; there is the small Madame Cheng bar, intimate, cozy, the kingdom of Japanese liquors and drinks; in an adjoining room the small Omakase restaurant. Around 10 guests will sit around a Japanese pine counter, the menu will be decided by the chef; there is talk of big names in Japanese cuisine but, for now, the “master” has not yet been designated. On the third floor, a very English-style “members club”, where members selected by “seven samurai” will be admitted on the basis of their relevance in the sector of origin. What stands out about Ronin is its spirit, its liveliness and the enthusiasm of those who come: unusual indeed and perhaps unique in a restaurant. There are no similar sites either in Milan nor in other European capitals. WEBSITE
2
Vasiliki Kouzina
Vasiliki Kouzina opened up in the heart of the Porta Roma quarter as a means to represent Greece through its cuisine. A cuisine that blends traditional recipes with contemporary dishes, all with that familiar “home” cooking touch. The design of the restaurant is not what springs to mind when you think of a Greek restaurant. It’s not a wooden table/blue and white palette kind of place. It’s intimate, elegant with a kind of retro vibe. The menu, which changes on a seasonal basis, will always have ‘aplista’, the classic selection of sharing dishes from taramasolata, scordalia (a garlic and parsley sauce), tzatziki and a sauce of black Kalamata olives with psomaki (oregano) – all to be tasted with warm pitta. Among the mains many meat and fish options with exquisite combinations of flavours and garnishes. Also a curated selection of wines, liqueurs and digestifs on the menu. WEBSITE
3
Mu dimsum
In via Fabio Filzi there is this Chinese restaurant that stands out from the rest for the quality of its environment, service and cuisine. In a large spacious room, with large windows, well-spaced and well-set tables, you can enjoy traditional Cantonese dishes such as dim sum: among those there is the Har Gao, steamed and stuffed with prawns, the Shao Mai, with egg pasta, chicken, mushrooms and prawns or the Mezzaluna nel bosco, stuffed with mushrooms and truffles. Also, excellent beef tripe, pork ribs, beef with pepper flavoured with truffles or smoked lobster with pink pepper, on crab, dried shrimp and carrots. There is a wide choice of teas and a very good wine list. WEBSITE
4
Mitù
From the far east we pass “to the far west”, we go to Colombia. As you enter this restaurant you immediately feel as though you’re in another world, a world very much in touch with nature; the furnishings with a vertical garden of plants and straw lamps, the furnishings of Colombian craftsmanship and the carnival masks. Among the dishes, which favour exotic ingredients and fruit and vegetables such as ceviche, tapas, grenodilla, leche de tigre and cashews. The tone is that of a refined and well-kept place; after all, the team at the “base” of the club is very respectable: Ivan Cordoba, the patron, is a legend of the Colombian national football team; the consultant for the menu is Olivero Clavijo, of the famous Chato of Bogotà and the chef is the excellent José Narbona Rodriguez. Here you can breathe the air of a “hot”, bright and “tasty” earth. WEBSITE
5
pacifico
Pacifico expresses the state-of-the art of high end Nikkei cuisine, the visionary blending of Japanese and Peruvian traditions . With its iconic design and lively atmosphere, Pacifico is a brand of reference in food, mixology and entertainment. The most representative dishes are ceviche, crispy tacos, langostino meloso , causa catalana, tuna carpaccio and coffee churros. The customer target is young , elegant, lively. During summer, take a seat in the pleasant dehors. The venue is located in the heart of Moscova disctrict. WEBSITE
6
Don Juan
Also in South America, Don Juan serves Argentinian cuisine; here grilled meat is the star but there is no shortage of excellent empanadas and desserts. Located in the area of Porta Romana. WEBSITE
7
Oficina do Sabor
We are in Brazil in Oficina do Sabor. Here among simple furnishings and colourful paintings, in a vibrant space they serve churrasco and Brazilian dishes: magneca de peixe, picanha, fejoada. WEBSITE
8
Ginmi
Moving to the Far East, a place to try is the Korean -based cuisine at Ginmi. Here, in an intimate atmosphere, amidst soft lighting and essential furnishings, you can enjoy the famous Kimchi and dishes such as rice dumplings and fried chicken. WEBSITE