Il Ristorante, Bvlgari Hotel, Italy

One night at the Bvlgari was not enough. Firstly because we didn't get a chance to explore restaurants outside our hotel and second because we didn't have a chance to treat our hotel room as more than a dumping ground for shopping bags and dirty laundry.

So, as suspected dining at Il Ristorante was the perfect choice after a hard day of shopping the golden triangle. The bar was dark and moody and full of fabulous looking people wearing (largely) black. I've enjoyed a few Italian pre-dinner drink treats of nibbles in my time but never have a seen anything near the quality or quantity of that served at the bar at the Bvlgari. No sooner had we sat down at the bar before vegetables, dip, roasted almonds, green olives and crisps were served en masse followed by individual servings of salmon sashimi, crab meatballs, vegetable pasta salad and parma ham croissants. All delicious and when I rejected the parma ham croissant and requested a second serve of salmon sashimi instead, my wish was almost instantly granted without attitude.

Then we moved through to the restaurant, agreeing that only two courses would be required after such a substantial starter.

The simple yet luxurious space of the Bulgari Hotel Milan restaurant is the ideal backdrop for a voluptuous gastronomic journey into the aromas and flavors of Chef Andrea Ferrero’s cuisine: a creative reinterpretation of the Italian tradition, characterized by harmonies and contrasts, aesthetic research of colours and volumes. The wine list vaunts more than 500 cases of the most carefully selected vintages, as well as a fine selection of champagnes and sparkling wines. Connoisseurs of fine spirits will also find much to choose from.

Vibe
As the website states above, it's a luxurious space that somehow feels quiet and intimate whilst still open and attached to the bar area. It is relatively sparse and minimalist - I think a bit more "softness" might help but it is in keeping with the overall aesthetic and brand. 100% linen napery in beige and chocolate tones with simple white crockery and green succulent for table setting.

Menu
I probably did the restaurant a dis-service by reading and ordering a combination of meals off both the bar and restaurant menu. The restaurant menu was well presented and succinct.

Food
I felt like prosciutto and figs and simple flavours. For entree I ordered the duck salad which was presented as below. Probably too much meat and too little salad for me but the duck was tender and perfectly cooked.

Sean ordered a much more traditional entree of ravioli with meat jus and shaved parmesan. Instead of the usual high ratio of pasta dough with little filling, this was full of meat filling with light pasta casing. Delicious.

After my entree not feeling high enough on the salad and vegetables, I ordered a main course salad with side of parma ham and rockmelon. As you can see from the photo, the parma ham quantity was substantial! The salad was perhaps a little "simple" but bear in mind that it was meant to be a side, not a main meal. I requested some shaved parmesan to bulk things up and appreciated that they presented my salad dressing on the side as requested. Eaten together with the fresh bread basket, the combination of dishes worked well.

True to form, Sean selected slow cooked roast pork belly with crunchy quinoa and chantarelle mushrooms. It was interesting, not what he was expecting but good.

 

Wine

The first bottle of white presented by the sommelier was too fruity but the second a huge improvement and there was no fuss about rejecting the original pour. After dinner (but before the post dinner sweets) we moved to the garden area for a glass of red wine to finish the dining experience. I love a place that presents a variety of environments to explore.., the Bvlgari Hotel offered that in abundance.., including the lolly bar I discovered on the way back to our room.

We dined on 22 September 2011