When truffle meet Polenta - Nuova Arena

Dear Friends,

Last week, I went for diner with some friends from Geneva to a place I really like in Milan. It is neither a Michelin stared chef, nor an expensive posh “new cuisine” place, but just a delicious, typical milanese restaurant where you eat well, for a reasonable price and get, what I love to call, the “true Milanese experience”.

That place is called Nuova Arena. It is located on the Piazza Lombarda, near the Corso Garibaldi/Moscova area. I actually discovered the restaurant last year around the same period thanks to my friend Juan. Juan was at the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne like me and was then working in Milan. When I asked him to take me to a true Milanese place, he didn’t really hesitate. I’ve been going there quite a lot last autumn and winter with my friend Philippe.

picture by Xin Xin Loh, 2011

Nuova Arena is a so-called “Milaniste” restaurant. Basically it means that most guests, along with the boss as well, are fans of the Milan AC football team. For example, “Alla Collina Pistoiese”, another trattoria close to via Torino, is a restaurant for “Interiste”, fans of the Inter Milan. So you better watch out whom you are taking to what restaurant in Milan, or you might cause a diplomatic incident!

At Nuova Arena, we normally always order their fantastic Pizza with Mozzarella du Buffala as a starter for the whole table and then choose an individual main course. I can only recommend to you their internationally famous “Osso Bucco alla Milanese”, served with Saffron risotto or the pasta of the day (my friend Bertille had a great and original sauce involving shrimps and mushrooms “porcini”…and it was incredibly delicious!). Their cotoletta is one of the best as well and my Tagliata di Manzo topped with butter cooked mushrooms was great! (Oups, butter, my coach’s gonna kill me again!).

But my favorite dish in this restaurant is their legendary Polenta, served with fried eggs and white truffle from Alba! It is just amazing; you actually need to come to Milan at least once to try it. The only problem is that, although the white truffle season started a few weeks ago, it is not already on the menu. The boss, who’s a really nice guy, refuses to serve it now because the truffles are still a bit too expensive for him (as I said, season just started and they are hard to get) and he likes to put enough on it to be really tasty and keep a somehow reasonable price. Though, if asked politely and with a little extra, he might still do it for you. (Normally the polenta costs 35€ and you have enough truffle on it, which is quite honest).

After all this food, you can actually order some great dessert like the “mille foglie” (I guess you got that one right?) or the floating island.

picture by Xin Xin Loh, 2011

I can only advise you to take the limoncello or the myrtho offered to you in the end…just  in order to manage to stand up after such a great Milanese diner .

From Milan with love,

Mr. Nico

Nuova Arena

Piazza Lega Lombarda, 5
20154 Milan, Italie
+39 02 341 437

Tramway : Bramante Lega Lombarda