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Da Vittorio


robert brown

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“The dinner we had in Bergamo, at da Vittorio; what are your first thoughts?”

“After seeing the restaurant so many times in the Relais & Chateaux Guide, I thought it would be one that’s contemporary in its design and the cuisine. I never thought it could be a remarkably rare coming together of mid-20th century décor and the lost art of good, old-fashion care and feeding.”

“When you think about it, it’s really the ultimate expression of a local or regional restaurant. It’s in the Relais & Chateaux Guide and gets two stars in the Michelin, but other than us, the clientele was clearly from, let’s say, between Milan and Verona. Mostly Milanese, I’m sure. It was classy in that way.”

“Vittorio himself and the restaurant are, I fear, a dying breed. True, his two daughters do the cooking and another waited on us. I think, though, that Vittorio is what makes the restaurant the way it is. Once he’s gone, I’m afraid the restaurant will have lost its soul. Did you hear the daughter tell me that Vittorio used to be the chef, and that he started the restaurant in 1964? Maybe he’s 70 now and on the heavy side, but he was certainly all over the place. Maybe I’ve seen it once, if ever; that move he made in which he asked you if he’s given you enough pasta, and once you’ve said “yes”, he brings the rest to a client-friend. I liked it, too, when he got the delivery of shrimps and branzini from Liguria still in the Styrofoam boxes and we saw him lovingly pour water over them.”

“Our dinner was also remarkable. I thought it was as good as the one we had eight years ago at Gambero Rosso and, I hate to say it, better than any meal we’ve had in Piemonte. We didn’t even dine on what looks to be the specialty of the restaurant—the fish and shellfish. The 280 euro seafood serving is something we’ll have to try when we are with another couple. It looked sensational.”

“It occurred to me later that seafood takes pride of place pretty much since I realized that the décor suggests a ship with its polished wood walls and the etched glass. It’s like a yacht in certain of its touches.

I would say the only mistake was not knowing we could have gotten by with sharing portions of at least the pasta and main courses. The starter, egg with potatoes “gratinate”, sour cream and caviar at 70 euros, was too small a portion for sharing. Just as well, though. It was as rich, soothing and luxurious as it gets and the caviar was probably Osetra. I wish there were more, even.”

“The pasta Vittorio gave to our neighbors was Italian for “short sleeves”; I just looked it up: “Mezze Maniche, a variant of rigatoni. It had pieces of Piccadilly tomatoes, and a “fonduta” of cheese. Vittorio prepared it at the table with a certain motion he used to add in the cheese, lots of it that made the dish creamy. It was one of the great pasta dishes of my life.”

“The vegetable lasagna was a close second, although the details of it escaped me. But the stewed beef cheeks I had no trouble eating. It was a huge portion and I could have kept on going. Remember my saying they came the closest of anything I ever ate to literally melting in my mouth?”

“My suckling pig with a Madera sauce was just as sensational. The crackling skin was lacquered and crispy and eminently edible, unlike a lot of others I have had. It wasn’t tough at all. I can’t imagine one better.”

“We saved the dessert menu, which was novel. All it said was:

‘Desiderate un dolce fresco e leggero a base di frutta?’

‘Siete dei veri golosi e amate de crema?’

‘Per gli estimatori del cioccolato proponiamo le nostri selezioni di cacao.’

“Whether fruit, cream or chocolate, each of the desserts was on the mark: the coffee crème brule; vanilla ice cream with honey and cinnamon; the “baba” and fruit soup; and chocolate with a coffee foam. Nothing fancified or convoluted there.”

“I think we can consider ourselves well-traveled eaters, and for us to discover for ourselves a real treasure these days is almost a stroke of luck. There wasn’t anyone there who spoke more than passable English, but it was fun to go over everything in fractured Italian, French and English. Most important, they offered their cuisine with generosity and by appealing to one’s gastronomic center, if you know what I mean. No spoon-feeding, constant palate-teasing, dictating what to eat or drink, but doing everything possible to make you happy and appeal substantially to whatever it is you’re in the mood for or strikes your fancy. Let's come back soon with some eating pals. A great restaurant always keeps a lot in reserve.”

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After such a nice review I feel slightly uncomfortable about posting these news:

Yesterday "L'Eco di Bergamo" reported of problems "Vittorio" had with health officials this week. After a control on Tuesday the restaurant was forced to close down because of hygene problems in the kitchen and in the locker rooms. They managed to fix the problems in a record time using the day of Wednesday, their normal closure day anyway, and were up and running again on Thursday.

It's not too clear what the problems were. According to the restaurant it was only minor stuff. According to the ASL (health officials) the problems were quite a few: dirty work surfaces, old malfunctioning equipment, malfunctioning employees toilets and so on.

It's undeniable the problems were there, since the owners admitted to it, but reading the article I almost have the feeling this was also a chance for the ASL officials to get some publicity.

Edited by albiston (log)
Il Forno: eating, drinking, baking... mostly side effect free. Italian food from an Italian kitchen.
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Albiston, what are you doing reading "L'Eco di Bergamo"?. I felt fine after eating at da Vittorio!!! The restaurant can't be missed by anyone who does gastroomic travel in Italy. I wouldn't begin to speculate on any underlying causes for the citations. There's a lot of the Baroque in that country.

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Albiston, what are you doing reading "L'Eco di Bergamo"?. I felt fine after eating at da Vittorio!!!  The restaurant can't be missed by anyone who does gastroomic travel in Italy.  I wouldn't begin to speculate on any underlying causes for the citations. There's a lot of the Baroque in that country.

Readinge L'Eco di bergamo, me? :blink::biggrin:

I didn't want to be negative about Vittorio. I found the article on both an Italian food forum and the Italian restaurant newsgroup and thought the information should, for correctness sake, be passed on.

there's two reactions which impressed me in this story:

first and foremost the quickness with wich the management solved the problems.

second the reaction of Italian food lovers: those who know Vittorio expressed pretty much your opinion on its quality.

Edited by albiston (log)
Il Forno: eating, drinking, baking... mostly side effect free. Italian food from an Italian kitchen.
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Robert- long time no talk!!

I guess you know that your rave review of Da Vittorio is in contrast to some previous negative comments about that joint by others. And Vedat, when he went to Bergamo , didnt even bother to sample it.

But I learned my lesson last year from Can Fabes: I disregard your opinion at my peril! So when I take a trip to North Italy, which I have projected for early next year, I will be at Da Vittorio, your post in hand ,and will demand all the same dishes that you rave about.

My best to you and your missus.

Cy

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  • 5 weeks later...

Of course, it is all what you like and very personal.

I made a day trip to Bergamo last year, just to have lunch at Da Vittorio. I was very disappointed. It was all OK, but I had the feeling to come in a restaurant of years ago. Afterwards I talked to two of the brothers, one being the chef, and expressed my disappointment with the rather old fashioned and expensive meal I had, with mainly a lack of any creativity or modernity.

Later, I maid a day trip again, but now to go to Milan where I had a wonderful lunch at Cracco-Peck, just before it officially got it's second Michelin star.

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  • 8 months later...

When the Sultan of Dining joins me in sharing the sentiment that da Vittorio has little competition in warming a gastronome's heart, I have no hesitation telling people to go out of their way to dine there. This means commuting from Milan or stopping en route to Venice and points in between to otherwise dine at Le Calendre or the several famous restaurants in and around Verona such as Perbolini and Il Desco. I would even go so far to say that da Vittorio may be as fine a luxury seafood restaurant that one could hope to find, bar none.

Da Vittorio is a throw-back to the times when restaurant owners built restaurants that were made to be restaurants. The ambience is luxurious without being formal or stodgy and the fixtures and fittings more pan-European than “designo Italiano”. Let’s not go too much into the present situation, however, as da Vittorio is leaving its 40-year-old premises a few blocks from the Bergamo train station in August for the countryside 8 km. east where there will be ten suites in which to sleep off the ambrosia and elixirs . In fact, the enterprise will no longer invoke the name of its founder Vittorio Cerea but “Cantalupa” instead.

Anyone who knows my culinary likes and dislikes also knows that I inveigh and fulminate against tasting menus, but when Vittorio’s charming daughter Rosella urged us to take the seafood one instead of the huge seafood assortment that we were contemplating and which the Sultan so lusciously describes in the Gastroville blog, we backed down (but not before I said , “Are you really sure, because I don’t want a tourist-type meal”). She assured me that the restaurant’s seafood degustazione indeed was terrific.

Ah yes, if only even 5% of tasting menus were like Vittorio’s, I might reconsider their legitimacy. In its way, ours was every bit as generous as the Sultan’s Trionfo di Crostacei e Molluschi. In a flawless execution of service, two waiters brought out three crudo dishes for each of us, followed by three warm appetizers. Pasta with gamberi from Sanremo came next.;then a risotto of sea bream.

The only tasting-menu shortcoming of our meal was that our sea bass with vegetables that was cooked under a bread dough covering was just two fillets instead of the whole fish that came a la carte. The waiters brought it to us in the pan, still covered with the browned crust which they broke open in front of us.

Having read in the Gambero Rosso guide that da Vittorio served the world’s best frito misto, I made doubly sure that it was part of the meal. We received a large serving that confirmed, at least to our fairly extensive experience with the reputably humble dish, just that. The lightness, delicateness and freshness, with minimal covering, of the fish were unlike any other we have ever had.

After an assortment of six desserts, the least interesting part of the meal, we helped ourselves from the ten serving dishes of assorted chocolates and bonbons. More than anything, they punctuated the spirit of generosity that ran through the entire experience. Unlike Per Se, this wasn’t what one food writer described as a meal of canapés, but often portions that would pass as close to full-size a la carte.

As our meal drew to a close, I told one of Vittorio’s sons as we were discussing the impending move to the countryside, “Don’t change anything” He gave me a reassuring smile; but just to protect myself, I’m having another meal before the Cerea clan pulls up stakes.

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  • 1 month later...

Robert did return to Da Vittorio, and my wife and I had the pleasure of dining with the Browns there. What a wonderful place this is. We had the trionfo di crustacei e molluschi -- a giant platter of lobsters, langoustines, scallops, prawns, clams, etc., all steamed in a flavourful broth. Then a plate of seafood fritto misto, of astounding lightness, and a risotto of tiny calamari and fava beans. Everything was, simply, perfect: each item of seafood cooked exactly right, the risotto of perfect texture and balance.

Bergamo, where Da Vittorio is located, is slightly off the main path of Italian tourist cities, but is well worth a visit. The area around Bergamo is flat, industrial and not very interesting, but the town itself is wonderful.

The upper city is old and beautiful; two funicular railways connect it with the somewhat more commercial lower city. But even the lower city has some magnificent villas, and a large art museum, the Accademia Carrara, with some interesting old masters. Bergamo as a whole is large enough that it would reward several days of exploration. For those travelling from London, Ryanair fly from both Stansted and Luton to what they term "Milan" (Orio al Serio airport) but which is actually the local Bergamo airport, 3 km from the centre. In the upper city, stop at the Pasticceria Cavour, run by one of Vittorio's daughters -- another daughter works in the restaurant. Bergamo is in easy striking distance of Milan and of Lake Como, but the motorways are crowded, and these journeys may be better tackled by train.

As noted in Robert's post, the restaurant is moving, but the staff were vague as to when, and even about where it would be. "It will be not far from here," said one. "Some time soon, maybe September", said another.

Go to Bergamo and to Da Vittorio ... quickly, before things change. This is truly an exceptional restaurant, run by a warm and generous staff.

Jonathan Day

"La cuisine, c'est quand les choses ont le go�t de ce qu'elles sont."

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Having four people for the giant seafood platter is ideal as it gave us a chance to order a couple more dishes. Another waiter told me that the new auberge-restaurant is "five minutes from the Bergamo airport". As I wrote above, the new esgtablishment is called "Cantalupa". If going there provides the level of gastronomy that the current Vittorio has, I will be both surprised and delighted. Otherwise, it will join da Guido in Costigliole d'Asti in the category of defunct great restaurants of Italy.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Any further information on this? Looking at Da Vittorio's website - http://www.davittorio.com/ - I see La Cantalupa, a banquet and events place under the same ownership, that's apparently been operating since 1996 if my interpretation is correct. Admittedly, I don't really read Italian. La Cantalupa has a dining room that serves 370 people and a terrace that holds 450 people. This doesn't seem as if it would be the new restaurant, although the new restaurant could be on the same property or using the same name. I can't find any information regarding a move on the site. I'm also aware of how painfully out of date many web sites are, just as I'm aware that these kinds of moves are sometimes months behind schedule.

Robert Buxbaum

WorldTable

Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

My mailbox is full. You may contact me via worldtable.com.

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They must be jumping the gun. since Vittorio's daughter told me that September was the opening time for the facility that will also be a 10-suite hotel and the new restaurant. I suspect the old man has very mixed feelings. His original restaurant has a certain feel and atmosphere that I am going to missed. It has a spit and polish without being overtly elegant; a real old-time Italian gastronomic temple, if you call 1962 old time. I won't be going until November at the earliest, so maybe you can be the first to report on it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the gastronomic experience is of the same level. By the way, it's five minutes from the Bergmo Airport, which isn't that far from the center of the town.

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  • 2 months later...

I unfortunately have to be the bearer of bad news.

Vittorio Cerea passed away yesterday (Oct 31st) in Bergamo, just a few days after definitely closing Da Vittorio to open La Cantalupa. This is a big loss for Italy's restaurant scene, but hopefully Vittorio's sons will manage to get the new restaurant up and running just as Vittorio would have wanted.

Il Forno: eating, drinking, baking... mostly side effect free. Italian food from an Italian kitchen.
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This is truly bad news for me, vmilor, Jonathan Day and God knows how many others. I was late to the greatness of da Vittorio; I wish I had started going there 20 years ago. I had only four meals there, but they were enough to convince me that the restaurant, more than any other I was aware of, tugged harder at the strings of a gastronome's heart than any other. It was also Vedat Milor's favorite restaurant in Italy for just that reason. When you went to the recently-closed premises a few blocks from the train station in the lower part of Bergamo, the sense of generosity, meticulousness, and wanting to be certain that you were about to eat on the highest of gastronomic heights was all over the room.

Our last visit was with Jonathan Day and his Melissa. It was my second meal in two days, and I guess it was because of that that Vittorio finally recognized me by giving me a big slap on the back when he visited our table. As he didn't speak English and I not Italian, I did manage to convey about returning in autumn for truffles. We are returning for truffles with vmilor, wife Linda and my wife's cousin and his wife, but to the new Cantalupa outside the city where one can also spend the night. I was counting on a big, happy,blow-out event, but that's off the table since it's 17 days away; the family (literal and otherwise) will still be mourning and the big guy won't be there.

It's strange, but I often thought and believed that Vittorio wouldn't be happy leaving his home of 40 years in the city and in that unpretentious, tastefully luxurious restaurant that without doubt felt to him like a comfortable,well-broken-in pair of slippers. My guess is that he died of a broken heart

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Vedat, implied in your sentiments is that another gourmand's sanctuary has possibly bitten the dust. Inexorably they are riding into the sunset, racing towards extinction, or however you want to put it. At least we'll find out together. Let's tell them we want to dine in tribute to Vittorio and eat they way he would have wanted us to.

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  • 4 months later...

Delighted to be able to write the first comments on the relocated da Vittorio now a 15-20 minute taxi ride from Bergamo centre.

We went there on Friday for a birthday meal. The restaurant is in a large villa in sloping grounds and looks over two terraces, one with a pool. The reception has a bar to the left and a large and grand room to the right. Previous gulleteers have commented on the old fashioned family service and this is still very much in place. We were greeted by name by the maitre d as we walked through the doors(despite this being our first visit). The chefs are Vittorio's sons and the restaurant manager is his daughter and all of these came to introduce themselves and say hello, as did the elegant matriarch of the family.

We were the second couple to arrive for lunch but as time went by the restaurant was buzzing and looks like it has retained its local popularity (we were the only non-Italians in there).

We decided to go for the seafood/fish set menu which is not "set" as such but which is a multi-course (full sized, not tasting) variety of what is good and fresh that day. We were very torn between this and a game menu featuring amongst other things snipe risotto and boned hare stuffed with foie gras.

An amuse of a small copper pan of fish soup and a lamb and sweet onion bite were served along with a glass of good prosecco whilst we decided. The fish soup was rather sticky in consistency and not a total success but the carpaccio of lamb wrapped around sweet onion marmalade was exceptionally good.

A pair of second amuses for the fish menu were a tuna carpaccio and a mille-feuille of scallops.

Starters were another two plates, one being a delicate asparagus soup with a roasted prawn and the second being a large langoustine with mayonaise. Both simple and perfect.

Then a half lobster on a bed of risotto with a fresh and sharp tomato and basil sauce which worked harmoniously with the richness of the lobster and risotto.

Then what looked like a big pie was brought to the table and the crust removed to reveal fillets of sea bass steamed with courgettes, fennel, carrot and thyme. A light and pure dish and cooked just so.

Then a big copper pan of delicious fritto misto featuring all the usual suspects but also, unexpectedly, pieces of fresh pineapple which worked very well.

Then a profusion of small plates of hand-made chocolates, pastries, a wonderful dish of rasperries in a warm sabayon, a poire william sorbet with fresh fruits, slices of columba (a panettone-like easter specialty).

The wine list was extensive and good. We drank a reasonably priced and very interesting Friuli.

Overall we were treated extremely well, the whole experience was very special and eminently suitable for an occasion. We chose a fairly pricy menu as wer were celebrating but there was a business lunch available for 45 euros which is a reasonable price for several courses of outstanding cooking.

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  • 2 years later...

Since this thread hasn't been updated recently I'll add some pictures and comments about the meal I had on a short trip to Italy last September (and a follow up from a previous thread I had posted).

Below was from my trip out to Da Vittorio. Instead of the meal highlighted above, I chose the "lighter" raw seafood menu as I had just flown in from Toronto (and was a little jet lagged). I might have made a mistake to not order the classical menu that balanced both raw and cooked courses and instead opting for the one featuring all raw fish (although the ingredients were spectacular and absolutely sweet with freshness, my palate grew bored of the similarly prepared items). All my courses were served in pairs.

Located on a beautiful property equipped with a banquet hall for larger parties, Da Vittorio was the most grandiose location of my five Michelin restaurant tour in Italy. Picturesque and peaceful, stepping on the property I immediately knew why this restaurant/small hotel was so popular with everyone I spoke to. Once inside, I could see that the restaurant appeals more to local diners than foreigners. On Sat & Sun they have a brunch and dessert buffet, filling the dining room with those who were dressed to the nines, along with families with many children, to people in jeans. The restaurant itself was filled with an abundance of chatter (think Chinese dim sum) which confused me when I first entered the premises, believing that the main floor room was the casual dining room of the châteaux.

The more from this set and their associated comments can be found here.

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Apéritif

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Smoked Salmon sandwiched with Filo pastry

Crisp light filo sheets sandwich a toothsome block of smoked salmon. This delightful amuse was topped with fine and slightly peppery sprouts. I loved how these delicate bites were perched on the black mirror plates which I found highlighted their very clean and bold colours.

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Raspberry Meringue topped with Blue Cheese Cream

A perfect balance of musty cream with crisp light sweetness presented in a dainty fashion. I loved how these delicate bites were perched on the black mirror plates which I found highlighted their very clean and bold colours.

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Rolls

Flakey pastry like bun – had a soft crumb but flakey exterior. It was both mysterious and perfect.

The olive roll was pedestrian but had a nice crumb.

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Fresh Scampi with Olive Oil and Lime

My notes:

toothsome, dense and creamy sweet. These meaty beasts were like eating giant sized amabei! Delicious!

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Salmon Tartar with Avocado and topped with caviar

Notes:

perfectly diced olives, avocado (that were too raw/crunchy), mayo, pink peppercorns and red pepper. There was a slight anise flavour in the mix which I failed to appreciate.

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Tuna with Asparagus and Light Garlic Sauce

Very fresh and silky sashimi grade tuna carpaccio laid on a pool of mellow garlic aioli. The tuna was surprisingly refreshing and sweet tasting, while the nice flavours of the aioli and fruity olive oil drizzle further enhanced the silkiness of the dish.

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Sea Bream Tartar with julienned Pepper Salad/Coleslaw

Light sea bream was carefully diced and mixed with mustard seeds which imparted a nice, mellow texture and flavour to this clean tasting fish course. It was nice to find that the seeds provided the salt component in this dish. The mixed pepper coleslaw, erroneously introduced as a bean salad, was both sour and crisp, nicely contrasting but not overpowering the smooth creaminess of the delicate tartar.

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Codfish Tartar with Black Olive and Fresh Tomatoes

Mild, delicate cod had a subtle mellow sweetness that was paired with firm and clean (read refreshing) tomato. This was all contrasted by a salty fried wonton skin/crisp. This well executed course was a good balance of contrasting tastes, textures, and seasoning.

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Fresh Lobster Mushrooms with Sea Bass Carpaccio

I suspected that the fish here was what I would normally associate as red snapper. The carpaccio was also decorated by almonds, pistachios and pine nuts. The olive oil dressing the raw mushrooms and fish was mild, mellow and very nice. The overall flavour was a little toasty which was pleasant. The fish was also topped by a crisp fried herbed tortilla chip making it a sort of fancy new carpaccio nacho dish. The mushrooms played a supporting role as the bed for the mild flavoured fish but added no flavour to the course, except to add colour to the pale dish.

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Fresh Oysters

Very clean and briny (of the sea) - as if they were just pulled up from the water. All I can say is wow. No dressing was required for these bivalves, and they tasted so pure and delicious. The bodies themselves weren't very meaty and they did have a little chew, but the flavours were so bright and clean.

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Sea Bream Carpaccio with Bouillabaisse Sauce

Fresh dill and saffron top the filets along with a fruity drizzle of olive oil. Yes this whole menu featured too many slices of mild flavoured raw fish paired with olive oil and as fabulous as each ingredient was, and as beautiful as each course was, I was becoming very tired of them. On this last course we see fresh tomato water gelée, generous and messy dollops of seafood cream/aioli and garlic aioli plopped on top of the sea bream. I found the best part of this course was the lemon juice and large flakes of salt that cut through the richness of the sauces (matching well with the clean feel of the gelée) making this final dish both satiating and refreshing.

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Dessert "Buffet"

Notes:

Pistachio marshmallow – this sweet was very light, and tasty. It did have the texture of sugar crystals, but the overall flavour was intensely pistachio-y.

Frasier – airy and light pistachio cream on moist pistachio génoise. Delicious.

Passion fruit coconut dome - like custard bun filing

Peach/apricot preserve tart – tasted like a caramel/butter tart

White Chocolate and peach jelée – the former was very sweet, and the latter was both tart and thick in texture. I was surprised by the chocolate taste (I'm not sure why I wrote that in my notes).

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Fresh Cherry Sorbetto

Airy, clean and creamy.

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And another to add to the collection (after a little photoshopping).

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  • 9 years later...

Family restaurants have always been part of Italian (strong) tradition. After having visited and had wonderful meals a few years ago at the places of Alajmo and Santini families, this Spring I had a memorable lunch at the Cerea family restaurant named Da Vittorio. Similar to Dal Pescatore’s location, reaching Da Vittorio was quite challenging but at the end it was worth it.

 

Da Vittorio, located at Brusaporto (not too far from Bergamo), was founded by Vittorio Cerea. It took off faster when his sons – Enrico and Roberto Cerea – ran this place and ultimately receiving Michelin 3-star in 2010. The food was mainly traditional with more emphasize on Lombardy tradition; innovative technique was used sparingly. Since there’s no “Classic dishes tasting menu” here, I opted for menu Carta Bianca and it was truly magnificent. The kitchen prepared more than a dozen dishes. Da Vittorio was well-known for its seafood and fish; the pasta was also great. Some of my favorite things I ate were:

 

- Egg "a la egg" - It was served in a martini glass and there were many layers of indulgences: chives, potato, fish cream, scramble egg, salmon roe and generously served Beluga caviar etc. Scoop it from top to bottom to savor several delicious and heavenly produce altogether. Briny, earthy, fragrance, and many other good qualities were inside this glass. An excellent dish!

- The risotto was beautifully cooked and delicate; it's combined with flavorsome of artichoke cream, sweet shrimp, slightly bitter mandarin and distinct smell from the squid ink powder. It was a scrumptious dish especially the many extra 'toppings' to accompany the rice

 

- "Vittorio style" paccheri pasta was the signature pasta of the house using the special recipe of its founder. The paccheri pasta (large tube shapes) was served with 'special' tomato sauce mixed with carrot, onion, garlic, aged parmesan and most importantly fresh and high quality tomatoes. It was simple and delicious; the sauce was balanced with lovely flavor while the pasta was al dente

- Deconstructed scorpion fish, stewed and raw. The raw one (tartar style) showed the fish's natural mild flavor and tender texture inside the tasty fish broth. The stewed one, mainly the cheek part, served with pak choy and lemon grass sauce (revealing Asian influence) was moist and more flavorful. A delightful experience ... a bigger portion should be better

 

I will let you see the rest through the links below. If I had to pick the ‘problem’ … I would say the dessert part was possibly the main weakness though I was not served any “safe” choices such as tiramisu or chocolate-based item. I said this because Da Vittorio’s mignardises such as cannoli and panettone were actually really good.  

 

The service was exceptional – professional, highly attentive and amiable staffs. Bobo Cerea was in charge of the kitchen and he visited me and other guests a few times. He also cooked the pasta a la minute next to my table. His presence was important to ensure that everything was fine; he was more than willing to listen to the customer’s comments as well. Despite its ‘location’, the dining room was actually large with elegant, (quite) luxurious setting and decorated with plenty of flowers.

 

The restaurant was not that busy – the most noticeable things, there were 2 big groups: 15 local guests ordering special menu and a group from China (10 people) – a nice surprise. I never expected that the Chinese people (from mainland) would be willing to travel this far to a ‘remote area’ for food as staying, eating and shopping in Milan should generally be perceived to be more practical and comfortable.  Generally, I may like Calandre’s dishes a bit more … however, the combination of food and service I experienced here was arguably the best one I’ve ever had in Italy.   

 

More detailed review: https://zhangyuqisfoodjourneys.blogspot.co.id/2017/09/da-vittorio-roberto-cerea.html

 

Meal photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7124357@N03/sets/72157686122029590/with/36937353431/

 

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