TRAVEL
Michelin Milan cont...
ACANTO TRADITIONAL CHARM WITH A CREATIVE TWIST
There are hotel restaurants and then there are Dorchester Collection hotel restaurants. Helmed by a who’ s who of culinary genius including Ducasse, Musa, Berasategui, Grolet and Smith, many a guest opts for a Dorchester stay, not just assured of a luxurious abode but of incredible dining from some of the very best kitchens in the world. At Il Principe di Savoia, the offering is a little different.
Having only one dining room, Il Pincipe’ s signature restaurant Acanto, helmed by executive chef Matteo Gabrielli since 2023, has to tread a careful balance between fine dining that lives up to reputation and all day brasserie fayre that keeps longer stay guests sated and satisfied. It absolutely delivers.
The setting is opulent. Large windows overlooking the hotel’ s tranquil Italian garden, Murano chandeliers casting warm light, glimpses afforded to the open pass, traditional trolleys for tableside preparations of salt-baked whole fish or tempting house tiramisu, and, something I always appreciate, tables spaced with the sort of generosity that allows for proper conversation.
Assured yet modest Gabrielli, who brings impressive credentials of stints at Four Seasons Park Lane, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park and Il Pellicano in Porto Ercole, leads his dining room with genuine passion and warmth. Eager to please both guest experience and palate, his menu is an intricate journey of Milanese classics and modern European cuisine. His philosophy is clear: respect tradition while experimenting with new techniques, showcasing the best of Italian ingredients, all delivered in a dining room of considerable elegance and with the flair of traditional service.
We began with the organic poached egg with sautéed dandelion greens, 28-day chicken reduction, buckwheat and Parmesan chips, which was plated with precision. The egg at that glorious point of just set white and yet the yolk molten, while bitter dandelions brought nuance, the chicken reduction a deep, savoury richness and the buckwheat added earthy nuttiness. The tuna tartare meanwhile was a distinct taste of the Med. Ruby red tuna, dressed with tarragon mayonnaise that brought anise notes without overwhelming the fish’ s natural sweetness, with briny punctuation thanks to caper leaves and samphire.
Then came the square spaghetti, because how can you eat in Italy without a pasta course? This was a reimagining of the classic aglio e olio, proving how brilliantly simplicity can sing when executed with precision. The square spaghetti( tonnarelli, essentially) had that perfect al dente bite, slicked with quality olive oil and with the gentle heat of chilli. The octopus, tender and properly charred, brought a subtle smokiness that elevated the whole dish beyond its humble origins. Next came the confit turbot with shallot cream, grilled Shiitake mushrooms and Datterini tomatoes in vinegar and oyster sauce. Mr Ready declared it extraordinary: pure white shards of delicate fish, sweet allium notes from the shallot cream, earthy umami from the Shiitake, while the tomatoes, acidulated in vinegar, cut through the richness and the oyster sauce neatly tied everything together with a complexity that felt a bit Eastern and entirely Italian.
My own beef fillet showcased meat of exceptional quality; tender, deeply flavoured and perfectly medium-rare. The cugnà( a Piedmontese grape condiment) brought concentrated sweetness and the stuffed onion added textural interest, while parsley marrow and raspberry vinegar sauce provided herbaceous brightness and gentle acidity. Sophisticated without being fussy, it happily reminded me why Italian cuisine has conquered the world.
The evening’ s true crescendo, however, came with Il Tiramisù di Acanto, the house dessert prepared tableside with appropriate ceremony. Our server assembled this classic with practised confidence: espresso-soaked savoiardi, mascarpone cream, cocoa powder applied with the precision of an Italian master. It arrived in generous portions, each spoonful a perfect balance of coffee bitterness, mascarpone richness and cocoa depth.
This was a tiramisu as it should be: traditional, perfectly executed and deeply satisfying- much like our entire dining experience.
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