May.

15

Ristorante Cracco in Milan

cracco-insalataRISTORANTE CRACCO
CHEF: Carlos Cracco
4 Victor Hugo, Milan
Michelin Stars: 2**

Even if you’re not a foodie, you probably saw CARLOS CRACCO’S handiwork in the Oscar nominated movie I Am Love. Chef Cracco’s progressive cuisine is hugely popular in Milan and his cooking is considered to be on the level of culinary genius which explains RISTORANTE CRACCO’S consistent rating of two Michelin stars.

On a recent trip to Milan, I was able to finally secure a reservation at Cracco, on a busy Friday night. The minimalist restaurant was packed, but service proved flawless from start to finish, attentive without feeling intrusive. We ordered the tasting menu without beef or pork to experience Chef Cracco’s most revered dishes and while some dishes were complex and texturally creative, others like dried vegetable + fruit at the beginning and end of the meal felt redundant and less inspired. Also, the substitutions for the veal heart and pigeon courses were down right boring. Steamed shrimp? Seriously? A dish clearly not worthy of two Michelin stars.

It’s clear that Chef Cracco has an inventive streak and has elevated Italian cuisine beyond rustic cooking, but more diversity in ingredients for non-meat eaters and elevated flavor profiles overall are much needed upgrades moving forward.

IMG_1068Dehydrated Vegetable Chips
IMG_1069More Dehydrated Chips: Shiso Leaf + Zucchini Blossom + Shrimp
IMG_1071Savory Canapes
IMG_1072Sea Urchin with Moscata d’Asti
IMG_1076Caramelized Russian Salad
(vegetables + egg + mayonnaise caramelized into a crunchy wafers)
IMG_1077Olive Oil Creme Brulee + Vanilla + Sea Snails
IMG_1080Steamed Chicken Egg + Rhubarb + White Asparagus + Pink Pepper
IMG_1081Marinated Egg Yolk Spaghetti + Tomatoes + Anchovies
IMG_1082Steamed Shrimp + Potato + Greens
IMG_1084Risotto + Miso + Red Mullet + Green Tea
IMG_1087Petit Fours
IMG_1088Dehydrated Fruit Chips: Apple + Pear + Pineapple + Orange

Food + Wine, Travel Comments Off on Ristorante Cracco in Milan


Comments are closed.